Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials HomeAirlinesCanadians' Civic holiday travel plans could face disruptions as airline strike threats loomA strike action by WestJet cabin crews and Jazz dispatchers could mean major disruptions to hundreds of flights per dayLast updated 6 days ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Last August, 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, represented by CUPE, served a strike notice that led to the airline suspending flights for the approximately 130,000 customers a day that it carries. Photo by ANDREJ IVANOV/AFP via Getty ImagesCanadians travelling on the Civic holiday weekend could face flight disruptions as strike deadlines loom for two airlines.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorDispatchers for regional airline Jazz Aviation LP, primarily under contract to Air Canada, will be in a legal strike position at 12:01 a.m. Atlantic time on Aug. 1.A day later, 4,400 WestJet Airlines flight attendants could walk off the job if a contract with them is not reached.The flight attendants approved a strike action this week after working without a contract since their collective agreement expired at the end of 2025.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThe nearly 60 flight dispatchers working for Jazz, represented by the Canadian Airline Dispatchers Association (CALDA), voted last month for strike action if bargaining fails.Jazz Aviation operates about 400 flights a day under the Air Canada Express brand and carries about 20 per cent of Air Canada’s daily customers. Dozens of WestJet cabin crew from across Alberta stand outside the WestJet offices in Calgary, Alta Tuesday, July 14, 2026 while members vote on possible strike action that could start as early as August 2, 2026. Photo by Jim Wells/Postmedia“Given the number of Air Canada Express flights involved, we believe this is important information for the travelling public as they make plans for the August long weekend and beyond,” Mark Yezovich, national president of the dispatchers union, said.CALDA said dispatchers are seeking a wage increase that keeps pace with the rising cost of living and remain committed to the bargaining process.However, if its members do go on strike, Yezovich said Jazz would have little choice but to cancel a significant portion, if not all, of its Air Canada Express flights since a certified dispatcher is required for commercial flights to operate.John Gradek, an aviation management expert and lecturer at McGill University in Montreal, said a very limited number of flights would be possible because only licensed Jazz supervisors would be able to fill in for the striking dispatchers.Jazz said in an email that the strike vote by its flight dispatchers is a standard part of the bargaining process, the company continues to engage in discussions and is committed to reaching an agreement without operating disruptions.A strike action by WestJet’s thousands of cabin crew could mean major disruptions to the 560 flights a day the airline operates. Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 8125 president Alia Hussain speaks with media at the Calgary International Airport on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Photo by Gavin Young/Postmedia“WestJet should do the right thing and prevent travel disruptions for their passengers,” said Alia Hussain, president of Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) local 8125, which represents the flight attendants.WestJet chief executive Alexis von Hoensbroech said in a statement that the strike authorization vote is a common step by unions in the labour negotiation process and does not mean a strike will occur and the company is committed to reaching a meaningful agreement with CUPE.Last August, 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, also represented by CUPE, served a strike notice that led to the airline suspending flights for the approximately 130,000 customers a day that it carries.At the time, hundreds of Air Canada flights were cancelled after the flight attendants served a strike notice and then walked off the job on Aug. 16.Air Canada only began to gradually restart its operations on Aug. 19 after reaching an agreement with CUPE through a mediator. 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