MONTREAL — After years of transportation turmoil, Canadian travelers will face even more potential airline disruptions in 2026.
Strikes by Air Canada flight attendants and WestJet mechanics have grounded operations at the country's two largest airlines since June 2024, and threats of layoffs from WestJet and Air Transat pilots have further complicated operations.
The raft of suspensions has left many wondering whether the coming year will be more peaceful on the aviation front – or whether they still need to book flights with caution.
Porter Airlines air traffic controllers could face a legal strike as early as Jan. 20 after three dozen members voted 100 percent in favor of giving their union a strike mandate. The airline is also trying to sign contracts with pilots and flight attendants for the first time. Meanwhile, collective bargaining agreements with WestJet pilots and Air Canada mechanics and baggage handlers are set to expire by the end of March.
With the exception of Porter, there are no potential work stoppages expected in the first few months of 2026 due to periods of reconciliation and cooling off.
The recent uptick in employee-management discord in Canada could continue, driven by years of modest wage increases on long-term contracts, job gains at U.S. airlines and a more interventionist federal approach.
As airlines emerged from the 2008-2009 financial crisis and then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government intervened to stop carriers going out of business, both sides felt pressure to sign long-term agreements, experts say. The result was a bundle of ten-year agreements (some of which included wage increases of two percent per year) that differed from the more traditional four- or five-year contracts.
The expanded agreements have contributed to stable working conditions in aviation for much of the last decade. But when those agreements expired, unions demanded larger profits to offset rising costs of living and match the agreements of their U.S. counterparts, leading to friction with airline executives always keeping a close eye on the bottom line.
“One of the issues that certainly makes matters worse is the length of these contracts,” said Western University industrial relations professor Geraint Harvey.
Rising costs of living and union victories south of the border have raised hopes among aviation staff, but fierce competition has left management stymied by some demands. The financial damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has increased companies' reluctance to make too many concessions.
“We're just seeing the COVID shakeout, and I don't think it's over yet,” Harvey said.
Due to employee-employer disputes, Air Canada flight attendants went on strike in August, and WestJet mechanics went on the picket line in 2024. Meanwhile, the mere threat of a work stoppage has briefly grounded flights in several other cases – most recently at Air Transat earlier this month.
Ironically, the federal government's increasing reliance on return-to-work directives led to further impasses at the bargaining table as employers relied on employees to be ordered back to their jobs within hours of the start of the jobs drive.
The Directives are based on Section 107 of the Canada Labor Code. This provision allows the Secretary of Labor to “direct the (industrial relations) board to do such things as the Secretary deems necessary… to maintain or secure industrial peace”—for example, ending work stoppages through binding arbitration.
During the three-day flight attendant strike, Air Canada CEO Michael Russo admitted in an interview with BNN Bloomberg that the company had not prepared for passengers with canceled flights because “we clearly thought section 107 would be invoked.”
In a big surprise, flight attendants ignored the federal labor minister's order to resume work, forcing the airline to quickly come to an agreement.
The strike brought the airline to a standstill, caused the cancellation of more than 3,000 flights and cost the airline $375 million.
Since its creation in 1984, the government has used it sparingly and has invoked section 107 eight times since June 2024, according to the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives.
That growth has led to a “broken” negotiating process in the transport sector, said John Gradek, who teaches aviation management at McGill University.
“It seemed like management wasn't really interested in negotiating. They just put time on hold, let time run out, and 107 would step in and solve the problem.”
“In my opinion, the whole concept of transport negotiations has been undermined by the government's constant use of the number 107,” he said.
However, in some cases the disputes have produced major victories for unions.
Air Transat pilots have secured pay increases for some aviators by as much as 60 percent over five years.
Last year, Air Canada pilots achieved pay increases of nearly 42 per cent over four years. The increase dwarfs the major gains achieved last year by pilots at the three largest U.S. airlines, where pay increases ranged from 34 to 40 percent, although they started from a higher base level.
In 2023, WestJet pilots achieved a 24% pay increase over four years.
The fact that orders are essentially perishable goods is a constant test of airlines' willingness to endure extended shutdowns.
“If you produce, you can stockpile inventory,” Harvey said. “When flights get cancelled… it's going to cost money.”
Uncertainty in the labor market continues to characterize the coming year.
While Air Canada flight attendants' defiance of the return-to-work order may make employers think twice about depending on Section 107, the gap between labor requirements and management proposals, as well as the number of deals expiring, could cause turbulence for air travelers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2025.
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