Labour turbulence is looming at Air Transat after the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said its 700-plus pilots will stage simultaneous informational pickets at Montréal–Trudeau (YUL) and Toronto Pearson (YYZ) on Monday, November 17. The union’s November 14 news release says negotiations have dragged on for ten months with “minimal progress,” leaving pilots without a modern contract for more than a decade.
While the pickets are not a strike, mobility managers should expect higher call-centre volumes and possible schedule changes as media attention mounts. ALPA is pressing for improved scheduling rules, job-security clauses and pay to match industry standards after pilots agreed to two contract extensions during the pandemic. Air Transat, Canada’s third-largest airline for trans-Atlantic leisure traffic, has yet to comment publicly on the planned demonstrations.
![Air Transat Pilots Announce November 17 Pickets as Contract Talks Stall]()
For corporate travel programmes, the bigger concern is whether the dispute escalates into formal strike notice during the busy winter holiday season. Under the Canada Labour Code, either side must give 72-hour notice before a work stoppage, after mediation. If talks falter, contingency plans could include re-accommodating travellers on Air Canada or WestJet and revisiting fare-type flexibility rules.
Travel-management companies (TMCs) advise booking clients on fully refundable or interline-protected fares when possible. “We learnt from recent Air Canada labour episodes that early communication with travellers is critical,” one TMC executive said. HR teams with assignees scheduled to fly to project sites in the Caribbean or Europe next week should monitor ALPA updates and have emergency routing options ready.
Beyond immediate disruptions, the standoff underscores a broader trend: North American pilots are leveraging shortages to reset compensation. Any substantial pay lift at Air Transat could cascade to other Canadian carriers in 2026 bargaining rounds, raising airfare baselines for employers.
While the pickets are not a strike, mobility managers should expect higher call-centre volumes and possible schedule changes as media attention mounts. ALPA is pressing for improved scheduling rules, job-security clauses and pay to match industry standards after pilots agreed to two contract extensions during the pandemic. Air Transat, Canada’s third-largest airline for trans-Atlantic leisure traffic, has yet to comment publicly on the planned demonstrations.
For corporate travel programmes, the bigger concern is whether the dispute escalates into formal strike notice during the busy winter holiday season. Under the Canada Labour Code, either side must give 72-hour notice before a work stoppage, after mediation. If talks falter, contingency plans could include re-accommodating travellers on Air Canada or WestJet and revisiting fare-type flexibility rules.
Travel-management companies (TMCs) advise booking clients on fully refundable or interline-protected fares when possible. “We learnt from recent Air Canada labour episodes that early communication with travellers is critical,” one TMC executive said. HR teams with assignees scheduled to fly to project sites in the Caribbean or Europe next week should monitor ALPA updates and have emergency routing options ready.
Beyond immediate disruptions, the standoff underscores a broader trend: North American pilots are leveraging shortages to reset compensation. Any substantial pay lift at Air Transat could cascade to other Canadian carriers in 2026 bargaining rounds, raising airfare baselines for employers.
