Air Canada Lockout to Halt Operations in Response to Strike

On August 13, 2025, Air Canada flight attendants issued a 72-hour strike notice.

In response, Air Canada issued a lockout notice, initiating a phased shutdown of its operations. The first cancellations start today, August 14. A complete shutdown is expected by August 16.

A lockout is a work stoppage initiated by the employer (Air Canada) to preempt or respond to a union strike. It bars employees (over 10,000 flight attendants) from working by denying them access to company facilities or systems.

After eight months of stalled negotiations, Air Canada offered a 38 percent compensation increase over four years, including a 25 percent raise in the first year, plus limited pay for ground duties and other benefits. CUPE rejected the offer, citing rising inflation and uncompensated work as unresolved concerns.

Both sides remain at an impasse.

Air Canada serves approximately 130,000 customers daily, with nearly 430 daily US–Canada flights at more than 50 airports. The airline plans to manage the disruption through refunds and rebooking arrangements where possible.

Photo by Marko Pavlichenko on Unsplash