Air Canada’s flight attendants are returning to work after their union announced a tentative agreement with the airline on Tuesday morning, officially ending the strike.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents about 10,400 flight attendants, said in a message to members: “The strike has ended. We have a tentative agreement we will bring forward to you.”
One of the key sticking points was pay for duties outside of flight time — such as boarding passengers — which had previously gone unpaid. The tentative deal includes compensation for that work.
Air Canada had earlier offered a 38 percent increase in total compensation over four years, including a 25 percent raise in the first year, but the union had pushed for stronger gains.
The walkout forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights, affecting an estimated half a million passengers. Air Canada and its Rouge affiliate normally carry around 130,000 customers each day.
With an agreement in place, flight attendants are expected to return to work, though a formal ratification vote by union members is still pending.
Service will take time to fully resume as staff and aircraft are brought back into place.
What to do if you have a flight coming up?
Although the strike is over, the chaos could continue for travellers.
The status of some flights says they are on time, but Air Canada says more cancellations are possible.
Flight check-in is also still closed for some planes.
Jessica Pettigrew with the Halifax Stanfield Airport says you should confirm your flight before heading to the airport.
“Any direct communication from Air Canada regarding current or future bookings is the best resource for people to stay informed,” said Pettigrew.
Pettigrew says you should not head to the airport if your flight is canceled.
Instead, reach out to Air Canada.
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