Canada’s flag carrier warned on 5 January 2026 that negotiations with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) are at an “impasse”, raising the spectre of a walk-out by more than 10,000 flight attendants as early as next week. CUPE’s Air Canada component has already secured a 99 % strike mandate and submitted a counter-offer the airline calls “unsustainable”.
Under federal labour law, either side must give 72-hour notice before a strike or lock-out, meaning industrial action could begin just ahead of the busy Lunar-New-Year travel period. The Tourism Industry Association of Canada has warned of a “devastating” hit to hospitality businesses if talks collapse.
Toronto Pearson International Airport has advised passengers on cancelled flights not to go to the terminals and to rebook online, while corporate travel departments are activating contingency plans that include shifting short-haul meetings to virtual platforms and pre-emptively rerouting critical staff via WestJet or Porter.
![Air Canada flight-attendant talks hit impasse as union eyes strike notice]()
For travellers suddenly faced with itinerary changes or expiring entry documents, VisaHQ’s Canadian team (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) can expedite eTAs, arrange emergency visa extensions, and provide real-time tracking so that employees remain compliant with IRCC requirements despite strike-related disruptions.
The dispute centres on wage parity with U.S. carriers and scheduling rules that flight attendants say leave them chronically fatigued. Air Canada has asked the federal government to order binding arbitration, but Transport Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada has so far urged the parties to keep talking.
Global mobility managers should monitor developments daily. If strike notice is issued, affected employees may invoke force-majeure clauses in expiring work permits; HR teams should prepare explanatory letters to IRCC if travel delays jeopardise status.
Under federal labour law, either side must give 72-hour notice before a strike or lock-out, meaning industrial action could begin just ahead of the busy Lunar-New-Year travel period. The Tourism Industry Association of Canada has warned of a “devastating” hit to hospitality businesses if talks collapse.
Toronto Pearson International Airport has advised passengers on cancelled flights not to go to the terminals and to rebook online, while corporate travel departments are activating contingency plans that include shifting short-haul meetings to virtual platforms and pre-emptively rerouting critical staff via WestJet or Porter.
For travellers suddenly faced with itinerary changes or expiring entry documents, VisaHQ’s Canadian team (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) can expedite eTAs, arrange emergency visa extensions, and provide real-time tracking so that employees remain compliant with IRCC requirements despite strike-related disruptions.
The dispute centres on wage parity with U.S. carriers and scheduling rules that flight attendants say leave them chronically fatigued. Air Canada has asked the federal government to order binding arbitration, but Transport Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada has so far urged the parties to keep talking.
Global mobility managers should monitor developments daily. If strike notice is issued, affected employees may invoke force-majeure clauses in expiring work permits; HR teams should prepare explanatory letters to IRCC if travel delays jeopardise status.
