Strike disrupts Air Canada operations, 100,000 passengers affected

According to Anadolu, Air Canada announced the start of phased flight cancellations, stating that a significant number of flight attendants—around 300, which is twice the usual number per shift—did not report for duty.

The airline said that this level of absenteeism will increase flight cancellations, and it has had to take preventive measures to manage disruptions.

Mark Nasr, Air Canada’s Chief Operating Officer, said the company has begun the phased suspension of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge operations to prevent sudden and chaotic stoppages.

He added that, according to the current plan, “all flights will be suspended until Saturday morning,” and under ideal conditions, a full return to operations will take about a week.

Nasr outlined the flight cancellation schedule, noting that the first wave, which includes dozens of flights, mainly affects long-haul intercontinental flights scheduled for Thursday night.

He predicted that by Friday evening, the cancellations would affect the travel plans of over 100,000 passengers, with about 500 flights canceled by the end of the day.

The airline emphasized that, if all flights are fully canceled, the disruption could affect around 130,000 passengers daily and potentially cause problems for up to 25,000 Canadian citizens abroad each day.