Air Canada (TSX: AC) announced it will gradually resume operations today after securing a mediated tentative agreement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, ending a disruptive work stoppage that grounded flights since August 16. The deal was reached under the oversight of mediator William Kaplan.
The agreement requires CUPE’s 10,000 flight attendants to immediately return to work, enabling the airline to restart both Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge services.
The company warned, however, that a full restoration of its network may take at least a week as crews and aircraft are repositioned.
“The suspension of our service is extremely difficult for our customers. We deeply regret and apologize for the impact on them of this labour disruption,” said Michael Rousseau, Air Canada’s president and CEO. “Restarting a major carrier like Air Canada is a complex undertaking. Full restoration may require a week or more, so we ask for our customers’ patience and understanding over the coming days.”
The first flights are scheduled for the evening of August 19, though some cancellations will persist over the next seven to ten days as operations stabilize. Only passengers with confirmed bookings on flights listed as operating are advised to head to the airport.
The airline said customers whose flights are cancelled can opt for a refund, a credit for future travel, or rebooking on another carrier, though summer peak demand limits available seats.
CUPE hailed the agreement as a breakthrough moment for flight attendants. “Unpaid work is over. We have reclaimed our voice and our power,” the union declared in a statement. The group called the deal a “transformational change for our industry” and emphasized that it followed what they described as a “historic fight to affirm our Charter rights.”
Air Canada confirmed it will not comment further until the agreement is ratified.
The tentative deal ends a five-day standoff that brought Canada’s largest carrier to a standstill at the height of the summer season.
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