An Air Canada flight attendant holds a sign during a strike outside Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, Aug. 16, 2025. Canada's largest airline Air Canada said Saturday it has suspended all operations of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge due to a strike by its 10,000 flight attendants. Approximately 130,000 customers will be impacted each day that the strike continues, the airline said. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)
OTTAWA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Canada's largest airline Air Canada said Saturday it has suspended all operations of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge due to a strike by its 10,000 flight attendants.
The airline said in a news release that the strike led by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) officially began at 12:58 a.m. local time (0458 GMT) on Saturday.
After CUPE's strike notice on Wednesday, Air Canada said it has been reducing its roughly 700 daily flights to manage the labor disruption.
Approximately 130,000 customers will be impacted each day that the strike continues, the airline added.
Air Canada also confirmed that a lockout of these flight attendants has begun to prevent the employees from working during the standoff.
Despite eight months of negotiations on the issues of compensation increase, ground pay, improved pensions and benefits, and increased crew rest, Air Canada has been unable to reach a tentative agreement with CUPE.
According to CUPE, 99.7 percent of employees represented by the union voted for a strike. ■
Air Canada flights are shown as canceled on the flight information board at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, Aug. 16, 2025.
Canada's largest airline Air Canada said Saturday it has suspended all operations of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge due to a strike by its 10,000 flight attendants.
Approximately 130,000 customers will be impacted each day that the strike continues, the airline said. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)
Air Canada planes sit by the runway as flight attendants go on strike at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, Aug. 16, 2025.
Canada's largest airline Air Canada said Saturday it has suspended all operations of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge due to a strike by its 10,000 flight attendants.
Approximately 130,000 customers will be impacted each day that the strike continues, the airline said. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)
An empty Air Canada check-in area is seen at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, Aug. 16, 2025.
Canada's largest airline Air Canada said Saturday it has suspended all operations of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge due to a strike by its 10,000 flight attendants.
Approximately 130,000 customers will be impacted each day that the strike continues, the airline said. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)
People wait outside the Air Canada check-in area at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, Aug. 16, 2025.
Canada's largest airline Air Canada said Saturday it has suspended all operations of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge due to a strike by its 10,000 flight attendants.
Approximately 130,000 customers will be impacted each day that the strike continues, the airline said. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)
A traveler walks past striking Air Canada flight attendants at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, Aug. 16, 2025.
Canada's largest airline Air Canada said Saturday it has suspended all operations of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge due to a strike by its 10,000 flight attendants.
Approximately 130,000 customers will be impacted each day that the strike continues, the airline said. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)
