CaLGARY – Travellers are starting to feel the effects after WestJet’s 4,400 flight attendants went on strike early Sunday morning.
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.
Lindsay Williams said he was trying to stay optimistic about his vacation to Canada and Mexico after the sudden death of his close friend.
Now he’s crushed to be losing days of his “once-in-lifetime” trip to Cancun that he had to rebook with another airline at a later date due to the strike.
Williams, who is from the United Kingdom, had been up since 4:30 a.m. on Sunday trying to secure a spot in the WestJet customer service queue, which quickly climbed to a seven-hour wait.
He said speaking to his overseas insurance company left him with even more questions.
Williams was excited to relax with his toes in the sand, celebrating his wife’s birthday, but he said the trip has turned into “a totally different beast.”
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.
“Our focus remains on staying available for the union to reach an agreement. 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.
“We would not be here if (the airline) had taken our concerns seriously for almost 11 months of bargaining.”
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 January 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.
