WestJet cancels flights as flight attendants issue strike notice

Canadian travel faces severe disruption this weekend as a labour dispute escalates at WestJet. The union representing cabin personnel at the carrier issued a 72-hour strike notice early Thursday, prompting the airline to retaliate immediately with a 72-hour lockout notice. Mainline WestJet flight attendants have been working without a collective agreement since their previous contract expired at the end of 2025.

The formal warnings mean a total work stoppage could begin as early as Sunday, August 2, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. Mountain Time, which translates to 2:01 a.m. Eastern Time. This potential shutdown looms just one day prior to the Civic Holiday long weekend. According to reporting from Insidehalton, the airline cancelled 76 of its 476 scheduled flights on Thursday alone as high-stakes negotiations hit an impasse. Aviation data firm Cirium reported that 20 of those cancelled flights either departed or arrived at Toronto Pearson International Airport. WestJet operates more than 600 flights per day on peak schedules, carrying more than 70,000 passengers on some days.

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At the heart of the dispute is the controversial issue of unpaid ground work. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 8125, which speaks for approximately 4,400 flight attendants, argues that cabin crew members perform an average of 35 unpaid hours of work every month while handling pre-flight and post-flight duties on the ground. Earlier in July, approximately 99.4 per cent of union members voted in favour of strike authorization. Alia Hussain, president of CUPE Local 8125, stated that the union wants a fair contract recognizing their value as employees of Canada's second-largest carrier.

"We have been clear about what needs to change, and we have worked hard to reach a fair deal."

Alia Hussain, President of CUPE Local 8125, via Yahoo News

WestJet strongly rejects the union's characterization of its pay model. The airline maintains that cabin crew members are compensated through a credit hour system, which management describes as the standard remuneration model across the North American aviation industry. According to Travelweek, WestJet's credit-hour structure calculates block hours from gate departure to gate arrival, with built-in minimums designed to account for ground duties. For example, if flight attendants work a two-hour flight in a single day measured from takeoff to landing, they receive compensation for a minimum of four credit hours. WestJet flight attendants are required to work a minimum of 80 credit hours in a month. While WestJet leadership has acknowledged that compensation requires adjustments to keep pace with inflation, the two sides remain sharply divided on whether to overhaul the model entirely.

Following the union's strike notice, WestJet chief executive Alexis von Hoensbroech defended the company's decision to issue a counter-lockout, emphasizing that the measure was designed to protect network integrity and prevent passengers, crew, and aircraft from becoming stranded away from home bases. Erin Rolfson serves as a communications representative for CUPE.

"The decision to issue a lockout notice, in response to the actions taken by the union, was not one that was made lightly. We sincerely regret the inconvenience and uncertainty this continues to cause for our guests."

Alexis von Hoensbroech, Chief Executive Officer of WestJet, via Insidehalton

The looming standoff bears strong similarities to last year's bitter labour battle between CUPE and Air Canada, which culminated in a three-day strike that grounded hundreds of thousands of passengers. Industry experts note that the union is attempting to harmonize contract language with the historic Air Canada agreement, which introduced partial ground pay for the first time in Canada. York University labour professor Steven Tufts noted that the union wants to ensure Air Canada cannot claim a competitive advantage in future bargaining rounds. As Travelweek reports, aviation analyst John Gradek warned that relying on federal intervention via Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code—as occurred during the Air Canada dispute—carries severe risks, particularly given the union's past willingness to defy back-to-work orders.

Meanwhile, public sentiment appears to lean heavily toward the workers. A public opinion poll conducted by Abacus Data between July 17 and July 19 revealed that nearly two-thirds of Canadians, or 64 per cent, support the flight attendants in the dispute, compared to 11 per cent backing the airline, according to The Globe and Mail. CUPE 8125 has called on the federal government to respect the collective bargaining process and allow the parties to reach a fair, negotiated agreement without government intervention.

Key Details for Travellers

• Potential Work Stoppage: As early as Sunday, August 2, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. MT (2:01 a.m. ET).
• Affected Services: Mainline WestJet operations and scheduled cabin crew flights. Regional WestJet Encore service and partner codeshare flights operated by carriers like Delta remain unaffected.
• Flexible Booking Policies: WestJet has implemented flexible change and cancellation rules for passengers with itineraries booked between July 30, 2026, and August 4, 2026.
• Public Support: Polling indicates 64 per cent public backing for the union's bargaining stance.

Travellers holding active tickets are strongly advised to monitor airline advisories and verify their flight status directly through official channels before heading to the airport. The two sides have previously inked a wind-down agreement that lays out how to ground planes and get cabin crew home in the event of a work stoppage. Bargaining continues around the clock as the Sunday deadline approaches.