Air Canada strike grounds flights, causing travel chaos for 130,000 passengers

Core Points - Air Canada cabin crew initiated a strike early Saturday, leading to the grounding of hundreds of flights and affecting approximately 130,000 travelers [1][4] - The strike is a result of ongoing disputes over pay and working conditions, with unionized employees demanding full compensation for unpaid ground time [4][5] - Air Canada claims to have offered a compensation package that would increase overall pay by 38% over four years, while the union argues that the offer does not adequately address ground duty compensation [7][9] Summary by Category Strike Impact - The strike commenced just after 1 a.m. EDT, resulting in the suspension of most of Air Canada's 700 daily flights [1] - The airline operates around 430 flights to the U.S. daily, contributing to uncertainty regarding the number of affected U.S. passengers [2] Labor Dispute - The Canadian Union of Public Employees represents over 10,000 flight attendants, who are currently only compensated when the aircraft is in motion [4][5] - Union leadership has stated that there are no scheduled bargaining sessions, despite ongoing negotiations for months [5] Compensation Offer - Air Canada asserts that its compensation package would make flight attendants the best paid in Canada, with current hourly rates potentially rising to 94 Canadian dollars ($69 U.S.) in the first year [8][9] - The company claims that senior flight attendants could earn an average of 87,000 Canadian dollars ($63,000 U.S.) annually by 2027, with 20% earning 90,000 Canadian dollars ($65,700 U.S.) or more [9] Customer Advisory - Air Canada has advised affected customers not to go to the airport unless they have confirmed tickets on other airlines [10] - The airline is implementing a goodwill policy for customers with imminent travel, allowing rebooking or credits for future travel [12]