Travelers rushing to rebook flights after the WestJet flight attendants’ union issued a 72-hour strike notice yesterday have now been offered assistance by the airline’s main competitor.
Air Canada reached out to WestJet passengers via the company website with a post that reads, “The WestJet labor disruption may have an impact on air travel across the country. If you’re booked to travel with WestJet over the next few days, we’re here to help you understand your options and next steps.”
If the strike does happen, WestJet passengers will face mass cancellations as early as August 2 at 2:01 a.m. EST.
Here’s a closer look at the details of the potential strike and how Air Canada is preparing to handle the unexpected extra passengers should negotiations not pan out well for the flight attendants.
Air Canada Promises To Make “Every Effort To Support WestJet Passengers”
The looming WestJet strike comes during one of the busiest travel periods of the season, and with 99.4% of its cabin crew set to walk out, major service disruptions are expected.
In an attempt to get ahead of this, WestJet began offering flexible cancellations and rebookings in the week leading up to the strike date.
As WestJet and Air Canada are two of Canada’s largest carriers, it’s not surprising that the latter would take on the bulk of WestJet passengers who still need to fly during the strike.
On the Air Canada website, the carrier explains, “We appreciate the impact that this situation may have on your travel plans. Our teams are making every effort to support WestJet passengers and provide available travel options based on demand and capacity.”
That said, demand will likely outweigh capacity in some cases, especially considering the time of year.
In an interview with Vancouver Is Awesome, Canada’s largest airline said, “Most of our seats are already sold, and our fleet is fully deployed, giving us minimal ability to increase capacity.”
The carrier went on to explain, “We will attempt to accommodate customers looking for new bookings with our remaining available seats when possible, but we caution that demand will exceed capacity in many cases.”
TheTravel contacted Air Canada for additional comments, but did not receive a reply in time for publishing.
“Consider Calling Us Back Later” Air Canada Pleads With Future Travelers
As one major airline prepares to go on strike and another prepares to accommodate the overflow of travelers, you can expect that inboxes are full and phones are ringing off the hook.
As a result, Air Canada has asked those who are not traveling in the next 48 hours to take a back seat when it comes to booking.
“If you’re not traveling in the next 48 hours and need assistance with an upcoming trip, please consider calling us back later so we can prioritize helping those with immediate travel dates,” the company said on its website.
Air Canada also provided the following tips for WestJet passengers who are looking to now fly with them:
Options If You’ve Not Yet Been Rebooked By WestJet:
Options If WestJet Has Rebooked You On An Air Canada Flight:
| There will be dedicated check-in counters at the airport for WestJet customers who were rebooked on an Air Canada flight. |
| You can change your booking from the Trips tab on our homepage. You’ll find product information and self-service tools, including the option to select your seats and check in for your flight within 24 hours of travel. |
At this time, no other airlines in Canada have commented on the strike. However, the Porter Airlines union, CUPE Local 4061 has shared its support for WestJet workers online.
“Stronger Together!! Porter Component proudly supports WestJet Flight Attendants as they fight for the fair wages, respect, and working conditions they deserve,” the union wrote on Instagram.
What the WestJet Strike Is About
The WestJet strike is largely tied to the credit hour system. Under this system of pay, flight attendants are frequently engaging in unpaid work during pre-flight and ground duties.
While it seems like a simple enough fix, the company and the Union are still unaligned on key issues. Union members and WestJet employees have remained adamant that they would like to avoid a strike altogether.
“There’s still time to avoid a strike,” Alia Hussain, President of CUPE 8125 said CUPE website. “We will continue to bargain around the clock until this is resolved. We want a fair contract for our members that recognizes the value of flight attendants’ work and recognizes our position as employees of the second-largest carrier in Canada. We look forward to further discussions with WestJet at the table so we can resolve this before August 2nd.”
For those traveling with WestJet during this uncertain period, the carrier advises on its website that people use the flexible self-serve change and cancellation options available in Manage Trips.
