Air Canada and its pilots are on the brink of a potential strike as both parties face a 72-hour countdown to either reach a deal or begin a full work stoppage. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), representing 5,200 Air Canada pilots, and the airline have been in negotiations for 15 months, but remain far apart on key issues, primarily around pay.
If no agreement is reached by Sunday at 12:01 a.m., either side could issue a strike or lockout notice, triggering a shutdown as early as Wednesday. The impending disruption could affect up to 110,000 passengers daily and has already led travelers to make costly contingency plans.
The contract dispute is also impacting cargo services, with Air Canada halting the acceptance of live animals and perishables, affecting businesses like seafood exporters. While the airline has asked the federal government to intervene with binding arbitration, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has refrained from stepping in, urging both parties to resolve the dispute on their own.
With a potential strike looming, the stakes are high for Canada’s airline industry, which has already faced challenges following the recent WestJet mechanics’ strike in July.