With a possible flight attendant strike looming, Air Canada is warning that it might be impossible for some passenger to rebook their cancelled flights in an acceptable time frame.
“A planned strike by CUPE, the union representing 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, is expected to begin Saturday, Aug. 16 at 01:00 ET,” the airliner wrote on its website.
“To provide our customers with certainty, we have begun a phased wind-down of most of our operations, to be completed over the next two days.”
Air Canada Warns That Due to ‘Available Capacity’ on Other Carriers, the Possibility of ‘Rebooking You Within an Acceptable Timeframe Is Low’
Air Canada is cautioning passengers that they may have difficulties keeping their current booking.
“If you opt to keep your current booking and your flight is cancelled due to a labour disruption, Air Canada will attempt to rebook you on another flight, including those operated by other airlines,” the airline wrote.
“However, 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. If your travel is disrupted, you can always choose a refund.”
Air Canada does note that “if you are booked to travel between Aug. 15 and Aug. 18 and would like to make alternate travel arrangements, you can change your flight for free if you purchased an Air Canada ticket or redeemed points for an Aeroplan flight reward no later than Aug. 14, 2025.”
“If you’re scheduled to travel during this period, you can retrieve your booking to change to another Air Canada flight, for free on Aug. 15, 2025 or another date between Aug. 21 and Sept. 12, 2025,” the airline wrote.
Passengers May Qualify for a Travel Credit, Air Canada Says
There are other options.
“If you purchased a non-refundable fare, you may cancel your itinerary and receive the unused portion of your ticket in your AC Wallet or as a Future Travel Credit to use on your next Air Canada booking,” wrote the airline.
“If you purchased your ticket with Air Canada Vacations, please reach out to them directly. If you purchased an Aeroplan flight reward, you can cancel without a fee on our website,” Air Canada wrote.
“We appreciate your patience while we work to get you on your way,” insisted Air Canada. “Rest assured that we will notify you of any impact to your flight itinerary in advance of your travel.”
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