STRIKES – on then off: 1) Some WestJet flights still being cancelled Tuesday as airline ramps up after strike; 2)(Update) WestJet, CUPE reach tentative deal as passengers scramble amid flight disruptions; 3)WestJet flight attendants on strike as union, airline fail to come to terms

1) Some WestJet flights still being cancelled Tuesday as airline ramps up after strike

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Sammy Hudes,  August 4, 2026

Flight disruptions continue at WestJet as the airline ramps up following a brief work stoppage over the long weekend.

Data from aviation analytics company Cirium showed 16 WestJet flights scheduled for Tuesday had been cancelled, as of around 11 a.m. ET.

That comes after more than 300 flights were cancelled Monday, or around 62 per cent of those scheduled, despite the carrier reaching a tentative deal early that morning with the union representing its 4,400 flight attendants. 

WestJet has said a full return to normal operations will take time as the airline resumes flying and repositions its aircraft and crews. It added that it would share further details on the return to operations as they become available.

“WestJet is resuming operations and entering the recovery phase following a labour disruption,” WestJet spokesperson Ashley Tymko said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.

“Flights have begun to operate; however, the impacts of the disruption continue as the airline works to restore its network. Guests are encouraged to continue checking the status of their flights before heading to the airport.”

Flight attendants walked off the job early Sunday morning after WestJet and CUPE Local 8125 couldn’t reach a new contract before the strike deadline, which prompted WestJet to ground all flightsacross much of Canada.

Ahead of the strike, WestJet was allowing passengers travelling between July 30 and Tuesday to make a one-time change or cancellation with no fees.

It had said affected passengers would be refunded or re-accommodated as applicable when delays or cancellations occurred.

Under passenger protection rules, it is the airline’s responsibility to arrange alternate transportation for ticket holders on a rival carrier’s flight if necessary.

In a news conference in Calgary on Monday, the union’s local president Alia Hussain said flight attendants have 30 days to ratify the agreement. She said the deal includes pay increases, but wouldn’t provide further details in order to ensure members were briefed first.

Contract talks had been ongoing in Calgary since January, with WestJet and the CUPE WestJet component at odds over wage increases and the cabin crew’s claim of unpaid ground work.

2) (Update) WestJet, CUPE reach tentative deal as passengers scramble amid flight disruptions

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Canadian Press Staff, August 3, 2026

WestJet and the union representing some 4,400 flight attendants reached a tentative deal Monday to resume work after a brief work stoppage, but neither side is sharing specifics yet.

The airline had said Sunday it had proposed a 13 per cent pay increase starting in October, and then a 2.5 per cent increase in each of the next three years until 2029.

The airline also said it offered a new duty pay premium, equivalent to another 12 per cent salary increase, which WestJet said is designed to solve the cabin crew’s claim of unpaid work.

In a news conference in Calgary on Monday, CUPE local 8125 president Alia Hussain said the flight attendants have 30 days to ratify the agreement, and the union will spend the coming days preparing a slide show to present to the members.

She said the deal includes pay increases, but wouldn’t provide any further details in order to let members learn of it first.

Hussain did however suggest the new deal addresses concerns around unpaid work.

“It improves on the long-standing flight credit system by recognizing more of the work that cabin crew are required to perform and increasing the compensation for that work,” Hussain told reporters outside the airport in Calgary.

“We wouldn’t bring a deal to our membership if we didn’t believe the puzzle pieces, in the way that they would come together, would be something they would ratify based on the circumstances we were facing.”

Contract talks had been ongoing in Calgary since January, with WestJet and the CUPE WestJet Component at odds over wage increases and the cabin crew’s claim of unpaid ground work.

There was no word Monday on when the airline would be able to resume its normal operations and schedule, but flights were slowly starting to resume by Monday afternoon.

Still, passengers were decisively frustrated Monday as they scrambled to change their travel plans at the end of the long weekend.

At Toronto’s Pearson airport, some customers were sprawled out on the floor, glued to their phones on hold with customer service.

Derek McCrimmon said his flights have been rebooked four separate times, and he hasn’t slept in two days. After nearly 11 hours on hold with WestJet trying to return home from a weekend wedding, the airline claimed to have booked him a flight home to Calgary from Ottawa with a connection at Toronto Pearson.

But he said the airline failed to book the Toronto-Calgary leg of his trip and is now instructing his group of friends to rent a car and drive back to Ottawa.

“It’s been a complete nightmare,” he said at the WestJet check-in area. “The customer service is horrible.”

McCrimmon said he has been spending $300 a night on hotel rooms and is booking a $1,500 flight home with another airline.

Bouncing her sleepy four-month-old daughter in her arms, Daniela Arango anxiously glanced over her shoulder to watch her husband discuss their options with a customer service agent.

She said her direct flight home to Edmonton was cancelled. Instead, the family was offered a Toronto-Waterloo-Calgary-Edmonton trip — with an eight-hour layover between each leg and a $3,000 price tag. She said she hasn’t received consideration for travelling with a newborn baby. 

“We came here to look for answers … but they’re like, ‘No, we cannot change it,’” Arango said.

In Montreal, Morgane Liquori was heading to London for a wedding Friday, but her flight Sunday was cancelled. She said she still doesn’t know when she’ll be able to re-book.

“It was my first time flying WestJet, and it’ll be my last,” she said.

Liquori tried calling the company twice. The first time, she was on hold for 45 minutes, and the second, for close to two hours. She said both calls ended when the line finally connected, then hung up the call.

“We don’t know where to go. I walked around the airport. I’m tired,” she said.

In a news release, WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech apologized for the disruptions, acknowledging the frustrations they have caused.

“Our teams are working hard to restore service and get our guests on their way to their destinations as quickly as possible and we appreciate everyone’s patience as we get back to normal,” von Hoensbroech said.

In Halifax, sisters Zahra Fazli and Hiba Fazli say WestJet has left them stranded as they have not been able to rebook flights back home to Toronto.

They were alerted to their cancelled flight in an email Monday morning that included a link to rebook, but they say the link appeared to be broken.

Hiba Fazli said she knows it’s not the staff at the WestJet counter’s fault that they’ve been unable to get information about their flight or rebook, but that it’s frustrating to be left without answers.

“We don’t know how the company is handling it because they’re not telling their customers anything,” she said. “These people at the counter, they’re just listening to customers and apologizing because they have no idea what else to do.”

Ravleen Kaur, who’s been staying in Halifax and is trying to get back home to India, said getting answers from WestJet has been impossible.
She showed up to the airport Monday in hopes of rebooking her travel after spending hours on hold with WestJet’s customer service line over the weekend.

“I tried the live chat on their website, it told me to speak to an agent, and then told me there were no agents available … there’s no communication about what’s happening,” Kaur said.

— With files from Sarah Smellie in St. John’s, Nick Murray in Ottawa, Elissa Mendes in Toronto, Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman in Montreal, and Lyndsay Armstrong in Halifax.

3) WestJet flight attendants on strike as union, airline fail to come to terms

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Canadian Press Staff, August 2, 2026

WestJet’s 4,400 flight attendants went on strike early Sunday morning, and the airline halted all flights on a busy summer travel weekend after the carrier and union failed to reach a new contract.

Both CUPE, the union representing the workers, and the airline announced the move after a strike deadline passed.

WestJet’s check-in assistance line was empty at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport on Sunday morning, but there were many travellers about still looking for answers.

Carissa Fontaine and Karissa Sehn slept at the Toronto airport overnight after learning it will be at least a couple more days before they can get back to Saskatoon.

The pair recently returned from Amsterdam and said they slept on the cold airport floors.

“People were not helpful at all, unfortunately,” Sehn said at the WestJet check-in area.

The two aren’t sure where to stay or how to pass their time in the city. “I don’t know … is there a Jays game?” Fontaine laughed.

Contract talks had been ongoing in the carrier’s home city of Calgary, in an effort to bridge the gaps between WestJet and CUPE WestJet Component. Since the last contract expired on Dec. 31, 2025, wages and compensation for work being done on the ground have been among the biggest stumbling blocks.

WestJet said affected passengers will be refunded or reaccommodated as applicable.

“We’re disappointed to be here; this directly impacts the travel plans of our guests, our WestJetters and the communities and businesses we serve,” said CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech.

“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. Unfortunately, it wasn’t accepted.”

In a media release from the union, Alia Hussain said WestJet’s latest offer didn’t go far enough.

“We are on strike because we believe we deserve better,” said the president of the union’s 8125 local. “We are ready to go back to the table to settle. We hope the federal government will not interfere and will let the bargaining process run its course. Unpaid work is a big piece of our priorities, but we are bargaining a comprehensive contract.

Hours after the strike took effect, WestJet released the details of its latest proposal.

The deal offers what the company describes as significant across-the-board wage increases, starting with a 13 per cent boost in October 2026 and retroactive pay to Jan. 1.

That’s alongside a new duty pay premium worth an additional 12 per cent salary equivalent.

Also in the deal, an immediate 13 per cent per diem hike, annual $300 health-care spending accounts, expanded vacation, and a 17-week postpartum maternity leave top-up.

Scheduling and quality-of-life enhancements, including reduced maximum duty days, extra rest hours at home and away, and extra pay for reassignments or layover hotel delays, were also part of the package.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce called the strike an “unwelcome turn of events.”

“Canadians are paying the price with a work stoppage now underway at WestJet,” Pascal Chan, vice-president, strategic policy and supply chains, said in a statement Sunday. “Travellers are stranded, time-sensitive goods are grounded, and businesses and communities across the country face further disruption during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.”

WestJet had begun grounding planes and cancelling flights in the lead-up to a potential strike to avoid stranding passengers and crew.

They issued a 72-hour lockout notice Thursday, the same day the union gave notice it would strike

Along with wage rates generally, compensation for work done on the ground has marked a key stumbling block in the talks, less than a year after the same issue sparked a work stoppage by 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada.

A question mark dangling over the talks is how Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government might intervene.

Soon after Air Canada flight attendants went on strike over what they deemed unpaid work last August, Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu directed the country’s labour board to order them back on the job.

The union defied the order, forcing Air Canada back to the bargaining table where the parties hashed out a tentative deal. The union’s move marked an extralegal precedent that served as a warning to airline executives across the country in future negotiations.

Reaction to the news of a strike came swiftly from Hajdu, who said in a statement on social media that she was disappointed that no deal could be reached to avoid a disruption.

She reiterated previous comments that the strongest deals happen at the table, but did not say whether the government planned to intervene.

FETCO, a transportation employers’ association, said the strike indicates that the federally regulated private sector must change its collective bargaining system. WestJet is a member of the industry group.

FETCO also said it is proposing changes to the Canada Labour Code to avoid “catastrophic work stoppages,” arguing in a statement that strikes have become too frequent in the country and undermine Canada as a reliable place to conduct business.

Even a brief shutdown will cost WestJet millions of dollars during the height of summer travel — on a long weekend across much of Canada. The airline operates more than 600 flights per day carrying thousands of passengers — sometimes more than 70,000, according to the company.

WestJet’s current “credit hour” compensation system combines flight time, ground duties, delays and other labour into a “single, higher rate of pay” that is then credited across the work day, the company says on its website.

The pay rate ranges between $28.88 and $53.61 per credit hour. At 80 credit hours a month — considered full-time work — that adds up to between $27,700 and $51,500 per year.

While many airlines maintain this type of compensation structure, Delta Air Lines spearheaded reforms in 2022 when it became the first carrier in North America to pay flight attendants specifically for work done on the ground. American Airlines and Alaska Airlines followed suit with boarding pay of 50 per cent of regular rates.

In February, Air Canada flight attendants secured compensation for ground work that will climb to 70 per cent of their hourly rate for the hour before takeoff — also known as boarding pay.