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WestJet has started canceling flights and parking portions of its Boeing 737 fleet as the airline prepares for a possible flight attendant strike that could begin just after midnight Sunday.
The carrier said it has begun an “orderly wind-down” of its schedule to minimize the risk of aircraft, crews, and passengers becoming stranded if labor action moves forward. As of early Saturday, 81 flights scheduled for the day had been canceled with additional disruptions possible if an agreement is not reached.
The potential work stoppage follows the exchange of 72-hour notices between WestJet and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents approximately 4,400 flight attendants. The union issued a strike notice while WestJet responded with a lockout notice. Both become effective at 12:01 AM MT on Sunday (the earliest either action could begin).
At the heart of the dispute is compensation for duties performed before and after flights including boarding passengers, conducting mandatory safety checks, and managing delays while aircraft remain on the ground. WestJet says its latest proposal would provide industry-leading compensation and address many of the union’s priorities, but negotiations have yet to produce a new collective agreement.
Despite the looming deadline, both sides remain in talks and have expressed hope that a deal can still be reached before a strike or lockout takes effect. The uncertainty has left many travelers checking their itineraries closely. WestJet is urging passengers to verify the status of their flights before heading to the airport and says customers affected by cancellations will be contacted regarding their available options.
Anthony’s Take: Even with the growing number of cancellations, the airline operates around 700 flights daily (many more than the portion cut). Hopefully, the 12% cancellation rate won’t grow too much and disrupt a summer weekend. Flight attendants should be paid for all time worked and I side with them around seeking compensation.
(Image Credits: WestJet.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
