Air Canada grounds flights amid strike, authorities steps in

Air Canada suspended all operations Saturday morning after greater than 10,000 flight attendants walked off the job over pay and scheduling disputes, prompting the Canadian authorities to step in.

Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu has directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to impose binding arbitration, extending the prevailing contract till a brand new settlement is reached.

In an announcement Saturday, Hajdu famous the strike’s influence on the Canadian financial system, saying that Air Canada transports greater than 40% of the nation’s crucial items, together with prescribed drugs and organ tissue.

“This decision will help make sure that hundreds of thousands of Canadians and visitors to our country are not impacted because of canceled flights,” Hajdu stated.

Wesley Lesosky, who heads the Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, or CUPE, accused the federal government of siding with the airline and undermining employees’ rights.

It’s unclear when a deal is perhaps reached. Air Canada Chief Operating Officer Mark Nasr cautioned that even after coming to an settlement, it might take as much as per week to totally restart operations.

All Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights stay canceled till at the least Sunday afternoon, the airline stated in an announcement.

Hajdu’s invocation of Section 107 of the Canadian labor code successfully orders employees to proceed their common duties till an settlement is reached. However, CUPE’s Air Canada Component stated in a Facebook submit early Sunday that the strike was nonetheless on.

Picketing would proceed Sunday, it famous in one other submit.

A number of dozen picketers who seemed to be affiliated with CUPE marched exterior of Toronto Pearson International Airport on Saturday, video of the picket confirmed.

“Say it loud, say it proud. Unpaid work is not allowed!” the picketers shouted.

The strike upended journey plans worldwide on the peak of the summer time season. Air Canada, the nation’s largest airline and flag service, estimates that with its roughly 700 day by day flights suspended, some 130,000 clients will probably be impacted every day.

Shelley Brown was stranded in New York City after her Air Canada flight to Canada was canceled Saturday. She known as the timing “unfortunate” throughout peak journey season, however stated she empathized with the flight attendants.

“Hopefully the two sides will come together very soon,” she instructed NBC News.

Passengers whose flights are canceled will probably be notified. Here’s what vacationers must know:

Don’t go to the airport

Air Canada is urging affected clients to not go to the airport except they’ve a confirmed ticket on an airline apart from Air Canada or Air Canada Rouge. Flights operated by Air Canada Express companions Jazz and PAL airways should not impacted.

Request a refund or credit score

Customers who booked an Air Canada flight on or earlier than Aug. 15 for journey on Saturday or Sunday can cancel for a full refund of the unused portion of their ticket, no matter fare sort, by means of the corporate’s web site or cellular app.

Travelers can also go for a journey credit score to make use of towards a future Air Canada reserving.

For different journey dates, refundable ticket holders can request a full refund with no charges. Nonrefundable fares could be transformed into credit score for future journey.

Air Canada can rebook your flight

If you forgo a refund, Air Canada stated it would try to rebook you, together with with different carriers.

But the airline — which serves greater than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and on six continents — warned that seats are extraordinarily restricted in the course of the peak summer time season.

“Available capacity on our airline and on other carriers is limited due to the summer travel peak, meaning the possibility of rebooking you within an acceptable timeframe is low,” Air Canada stated in a information launch on Saturday.

Passengers can even rebook their flights for dates between Aug. 21 and Sept. 12 at no extra price.

Impact on different airways

Air Canada is a member of the Star Alliance network, which incorporates 26 member airways corresponding to United and Lufthansa. This means vacationers on associate airways working Air Canada flights may very well be affected.

United Airlines stated in an announcement that it’s “working with customers to get them to their destinations and have issued a travel waiver to make sure they have the flexibility to manage their travel plans.”

Airport and company response

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey stated that it’s “fully prepared to support travelers and help minimize disruptions.”

“Airport staff will be on-site to assist passengers, and we are working closely with Air Canada and our terminal partners to ensure necessary resources are in place,” the company stated in an announcement forward of the strike.

The Port Authority suggested that vacationers verify their flight standing instantly with Air Canada earlier than heading to the airport and permit further time for journey.

The U.S. Department of Transportation didn’t subject an official assertion on Air Canada’s suspended operations and didn’t instantly return a request for remark.