WestJet strike cancels more than 300 flights across Canada, leaving thousands of travelers facing major holiday weekend disruption — what passengers need to know

WestJet strike today: The WestJet strike cancelled flights crisis has disrupted travel across Canada, with the airline canceling more than 300 flights after its flight attendants walked off the job Sunday. The strike involves about 4,400 WestJet cabin crew members represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). The walkout comes during a three-day holiday weekend, leaving travelers dealing with cancellations, delays and changing travel plans.

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WestJet strike cancelled flights affect holiday weekend travel

WestJet confirmed the strike and said it could not operate its scheduled flights on its Boeing 737 and 787 aircraft. WestJet confirmed the strike and canceled more than 300 flights as of early Sunday, snarling travel plans in Canada in the middle of a three-day weekend.


For passengers searching for updates on the WestJet strike cancelled flights, the airline said it would contact customers who booked directly by email. Travellers who made reservations through a travel agency or third-party booking platform should contact the company they booked with.

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Why are WestJet flight attendants on strike?

The dispute largely centers on how flight attendants are compensated for work performed while planes are still on the ground. The union said cabin crew members perform duties before and after flights for which they are not adequately paid.

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WestJet, however, says its flight attendants are compensated through a “credit hour” system rather than a traditional hourly wage. The disagreement over ground duties has become one of the central issues in negotiations between the airline and its cabin crew.

WestJet CEO says airline offered higher wages

WestJet Group CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said the company had made an offer that would have changed how cabin crew members are compensated.

“We presented a proposal that would have set a new standard for cabin crew in Canada, making WestJet the only airline to offer an hourly rate covering all time before and after flights, plus a double-digit wage increase in year one among other priorities the union raised,” said Alexis von Hoensbroech, CEO of the WestJet Group. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t accepted.”

The airline has argued that its proposal would have addressed several of the union's concerns while also providing a significant first-year wage increase.

Union says WestJet's offer wasn't enough

Alia Hussain, president of the union chapter representing WestJet cabin crew, said negotiators continued working toward an agreement until the final moments. Hussain said negotiators “tried until the very last minute to get a fair deal that recognizes the value of the work cabin crews do.”

“WestJet’s offer did not go far enough," Hussain said. Both sides said they were willing to resume negotiations to reach an agreement.

Not every WestJet-related flight has been disrupted.

WestJet Encore flights operating on Q400 aircraft remain unaffected, according to the airline. Code-share flights operated by WestJet's airline partners are also continuing to operate.

That means travelers should check the operating carrier and aircraft associated with their reservation before heading to the airport.

WestJet strike comes after Air Canada disruption

The latest dispute comes less than a year after a similar labour fight at Canada's largest airline. Last summer, Air Canada flight attendants went on strike, disrupting travel for more than 100,000 passengers during the peak summer season.

That three-day work stoppage also involved disagreements over compensation for work performed on the ground.

The similarity between the two disputes highlights the broader debate surrounding how cabin crew members should be paid for duties performed outside the time an aircraft is actually in the air.

What travelers should know about the WestJet strike

For passengers affected by the WestJet strike cancelled flights, the most important step is to check the status of the reservation before traveling to the airport.

Passengers should also monitor their email for messages from WestJet and contact their booking provider if they purchased tickets through a third party.

With hundreds of flights canceled during a busy Canadian holiday weekend, travelers may face changes to their schedules even if they were not initially expecting their flight to be affected.

For now, both WestJet and the union say they are willing to return to negotiations. The outcome of those talks could determine how quickly normal operations resume across the airline's network.

(With inputs from agencies)