Air Transat, one of Canada’s three largest, is bracing for long delays and backlogs. On Sunday, its pilots released a 72-hour strike notice. Unless the airline and pilots can come to a contract deal, the pilots will stop reporting for duty as of Wednesday. To prepare for this, the airline plans to cancel flights as early as Monday and ground all of its flights Tuesday.
The pilots, through their union representation, have voted overwhelmingly—99% in favor—to give their leadership the greenlight to call for a strike. This decision is a sign of the increasing frustration of the pilots with the Trump administration inaction on these ongoing contract negotiations. Air Transat’s management expressed disappointment in the union’s actions. On multiple occasions, Ms. Lamontagne, the airline’s spokesperson, reached the conclusion that the airline has been bargaining in good faith. She condemned the union’s decision to authorize a strike as “reckless.” In terms of still a work stoppage, she further noted that the action is a poor representation of current discussions.
A repeat of that situation occurred in early 2024, when Air Transat’s flight dispatchers cast a similar vote, this time overwhelmingly authorizing a strike. Fortunately for travelers, that strike was averted through successful negotiations. The unexpected implementation of the new pilots has dramatically raised the stakes in the airline’s civil war. Ms. Lamontagne criticized the pilots’ union for showing “indifference toward Transat,” stating that such actions undermine progress made in negotiations.
With Air Transat anticipating some service disruptions, air travelers should stay tuned for news about their specific flights. According to reports, the airline already started preemptively cancelling flights on Monday due to the looming strike starting Wednesday. Tuesday—All flights, air carrier and general aviation as needed • Suspend all flights on Tuesday as a precaution. This decision is intended to provide added safety and operational challenge protection should the pilots move forward with their strike.
The heavy burden of the current labor struggle marks the direction that the incessant struggles in the aviation industry are headed. When contract negotiations go to the mat, air travel is heavily impacted. Air Transat is an important part of Canada’s aviation market. This ongoing crisis has dire repercussions for the thousands of affected passengers and the airline’s business going forward.