Less than a day before a possible pilots’ strike, Air Transat has axed twelve Tuesday flights and six Wednesday flights. The affected routes include Toronto Pearson to Manchester, Montreal to Málaga, Toronto Pearson to Lisbon, Montreal to Paris, Toronto Pearson to London Gatwick, and Montreal to Lima. Earlier cancellations involved round trips between Montreal and Cancun, Toronto Pearson and Cancun, and Montreal and Punta Cana.
With her upcoming wedding in Mexico, Amélie Héroux-Gauthier from Gatineau, Quebec, is anxious about her Air Transat flight possibly being canceled. She expressed uncertainty about the strike situation and is contemplating canceling her December 12 flight to Cancun preemptively.
Air Transat had warned on Monday that if an agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association, Intl. (ALPA) was not reached by Tuesday, they would start winding down operations in preparation for a strike. ALPA issued a 72-hour strike notice on Sunday, which could lead to a strike as early as 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
The airline has dispatched planes to bring back passengers abroad to avoid disruptions due to a potential strike. Negotiations are ongoing, with improved offers made on Monday after progress was acknowledged by both parties. Captain Bradley Small, chair of the union’s Air Transat Master Executive Council, emphasized the commitment to finding a fair contract for stability.
Professor John Gradek from McGill University noted that many labor disputes are typically resolved just before a strike deadline. He highlighted Air Transat’s smaller fleet size compared to major carriers like Air Canada and WestJet, which puts the airline in a more vulnerable financial position in case of a strike.