Some travelers may feel uneasy because another strike threatens to disrupt flights.
Air Transat announced on Sunday it will gradually cease operations over the next three days in response to a 72-hour strike issued by the union representing 750 pilots. This comes just months after Air Canada suspended flights. flights involving approximately 10,000 flight attendants strike in August.
Air Transat pilots could go on strike as early as 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday. Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said in a statement Sunday. Meanwhile, Air Transat says flights will be gradually suspended from Monday to Tuesday and its priority is to “minimize inconvenience to customers.”
But what will it look like? So where does this leave travelers? Let's figure it out.
Some Air Transat flights have already been canceled Monday morning as the airline begins to wind down operations ahead of a pilot strike that could begin as early as 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
What will happen to flights?
Air Transat says flight cancellations will begin gradually from Monday, with a full suspension expected by Tuesday. Essentially, if you're flying Air Transat between now and December 12, your travel plans may be affected, the airline says.
“The company deeply regrets the impact this disruption will have on travelers during this busy period,” the airline said in a statement. website.
On its website, Air Transat says it flies year-round from Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City. This is also offers seasonal flights to various destinations including Edmonton, Fredericton, Halifax, Hamilton, Kelowna, London, Moncton, Ottawa, Regina, Rouen, Saskatoon, St. John's, Windsor and Winnipeg.
According to the Air Transat website, if your flight is cancelled, you will be notified directly by email and refunded according to your payment method.
The company's priority is to return travelers home from their destinations, the airline explained in a statement to CBC. To that end, the company is adding four additional flights on Monday to bring back some travelers earlier, Air Transat said.
How many flights have already been cancelled?
In a statement to CBC, Air Transat said flights scheduled for Monday are operating as planned at this time.
A quick look at the websites of all the Canadian airports that Transat flies into and out of Monday morning shows several planned Transat flight cancellations over the next two days, although it is unclear whether they are related to labor actions.
At Pearson Airport, for example, an outbound flight to Edmonton from Toronto is canceled today, one flight from Toronto to Cancun and another from Cancun to Toronto are canceled on Tuesday, and an inbound flight from Ottawa to Toronto today is cancelled.
IN MontrealThe flight to Punta Cana was canceled on Tuesday and the incoming flight from Varadero was canceled on Monday.
Air Transat calls on all passengers check their flight status.
Air Transat says it will begin grounding flights on Monday, followed by a full suspension on Tuesday in response to a 72-hour strike issued by the union representing its pilots.
How much flexibility does Air Transat offer?
On its website, the airline notes that it is implementing a flexibility policy for customers traveling within the next five days, which allows them to change or postpone their trips at no additional cost.
Clients will have to fill out Air Transat form cancellation website. They further explain that clients will receive the credit on your file, valid for 12 months, and it will appear in your file within 12-48 hours of cancellation.
However, if you have booked through a travel agency, Transat recommends contacting that agency directly.
If you have booked an entire Air Transat holiday package and the holiday has not yet started, Air Transat will inform you that the booking will be canceled and you will be refunded to your payment method.
If you wish to change or cancel a flight on or after December 13, Air Transat advises that your booking remains subject to the airline's normal terms and conditions.
What happens if there is a total strike?
It will start on Wednesday morning. Although the ALPA union notes that this is still preliminary.
“There is still time to avoid a strike, but unless significant progress is made at the negotiating table, we will strike if that is what it takes to achieve a modern contract,” said Capt. Bradley Small, chairman of the Air Services Chief Executive Council, in his report. statement on Sunday.
If the pilots leave work on Wednesday, Air Transat says This “will do everything possible to help customers get back to their point of origin.”
“This will include the offer of a new ticket on the next available flight if such availability exists within 48 hours of the original departure time, or a refund for any unused portion of the trip,” the Air Transat website explains.
For those who have booked a holiday and are stuck at their destination, Transat promises to cover any additional costs.
“IIn case of refusal of the alternative offered by Air Transat, travelers will be entitled to a refund for any unused portion of the trip,” the airline explains.
Dave Bourdage, Air Transat's vice president of flight operations, answered questions Monday about the status of contract negotiations with pilots who gave 72 hours' notice Sunday and about flight operations as the company prepares for possible disruptions later this week.
Where are the negotiations now?
Air Transat and ALPA are seeking to replace an agreement that was reached in 2015 and expired at the end of April. According to the union, issues discussed include wages, benefits, labor rules and job security.
Both the union and the airline said on Monday that progress had been made. Both sides, which began negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement in January, said they were negotiating around the clock.
“We are working tirelessly and still hope to reach an agreement within the day to minimize disruption,” said Andrean Gagne, senior director of communications, public affairs and corporate responsibility at Air Transat, in an email to CBC News.
Capt. Tim Perry, president of ALPA, told CBC News Network on Monday that negotiations have been going on late into the night and early into the morning, but there are still some “serious issues” with the proposal.
“We don't want to go on strike,” Perry said. “We understand that everyone wants to get where they need to go.”
Capt. Tim Perry, president of the Canadian Airline Pilots Association, answered questions Monday about the status of negotiations between pilots and Air Transat, which is set to begin phasing out flights ahead of a potential strike.
