October 11, 2011 –Air Canada has been advised by CUPE, the union representing the airline’s 6,800 flight attendants, that the new tentative agreement reached by the Company and the union’s negotiating committee on September 20, 2011 was not ratified by the union membership. Subsequently, Air Canada has been given a strike notice by CUPE confirming the union’s intention to begin a strike at 00:01 a.m. ET Thursday October 13, 2011.
In the interim, Air Canada’s operations are not affected and the airline will continue to operate its normal schedule.
Air Canada remains hopeful that a disruption will be avoided. However, in recognition of the uncertainty for customers this situation may cause, Air Canada has introduced a flexible rebooking policy to enable customers booked for travel over the next six days on a rolling window basis (October 11-16, 12-17, etc.) to change dates free of charge until December 15, 2011, subject to seat availability.