As WestJet’s flight attendants gear up for a potential strike as early as Sunday unless an agreement is made, travelers are preparing for possible flight interruptions.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing 4,400 flight attendants at WestJet, delivered a 72-hour strike notice early Thursday. In reaction, WestJet issued its own 72-hour lockout notice.
While a strike notice indicates the potential for action, it doesn’t necessarily mean flight attendants will cease work immediately. However, a union spokesperson mentioned that significant gaps remain between the two parties on several crucial matters.
This uncertainty has travelers like Ken Wallin concerned about their travel plans.
Wallin and his wife are scheduled to fly to Ireland on Monday to mark their 29th wedding anniversary. They have been saving for this trip since they had to cancel their previous vacation due to the pandemic.
The union representing 4,400 flight attendants at WestJet says it has issued a 72-hour strike notice, paving the runway for a possible strike during a busy summer travel season. WestJet, in a statement, said the airline responded to the union’s strike notice by issuing a 72-hour lockout notice. A strike could begin as soon as Aug. 2 if the two sides don’t reach a deal.
Should the strike affect their flight, it would mean yet another vacation cancellation for the couple.
“It’s eight or nine months of planning and a lifetime of waiting … all down the drain,” Wallin remarked.
He has explored the option of booking with another airline but has struggled to find direct flights at a reasonable fare. Although WestJet is permitting passengers with flights scheduled from July 30 to August 4 to change or cancel their bookings without fees, Wallin would only receive a travel credit, which is not ideal for him as an infrequent flyer.
“We’re just hoping that everything will work out in the end,” Wallin expressed.
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Conversely, for other travelers like Armin Ataee, missing a flight is not an option. Ataee traveled to Edmonton to see his parents without any issues, but he needed to rebook his return flight to Vancouver with a different airline to catch another flight out of Vancouver early next week for a conference.
He accepted the WestJet credit but had to pay an additional $200 for the last-minute flight back to Vancouver.
“In the end, it was better than losing everything,” Ataee said regarding the credit. “However, there is frustration because I expected at least to receive a cash refund.”
Travellers can rebook or wait
WestJet reiterated in their Thursday statement that certain passengers can still change or cancel flights without incurring fees.
However, only those with specific types of bookings are eligible for refunds back to their original payment method. Customers who booked PremiumFlex and BusinessFlex flights, or premium and business travelers flying between Canada and Asia, can receive cash refunds, while others will only get a credit for future travel.
“This means you might end up with a significant amount of money sitting in an account that can only be used for bookings made on the WestJet website,” stated T.J. Dunn, a travel expert and writer based in Vancouver.
Despite ongoing talks, WestJet and its flight attendants have signed off on a plan to wind down operations ahead of a possible long-weekend strike. Some 4,400 union members could walk off the job this Sunday.
Travelers who booked their WestJet flights through third-party agencies will need to make any changes through the agency directly.
If WestJet cancels flights, Dunn notes that the airline has a duty to rebook passengers on alternate airlines — though doing so may be complex during a busy summer long weekend.
“If your flight hasn’t been cancelled yet, theoretically, it is still set to operate,” Dunn explained. “If you can afford to wait … things may resolve themselves in the meantime.”
As of Saturday morning, WestJet had already cancelled 81 flights in anticipation of the possible labor disruption.
Dunn suggests that travelers search for alternative flights they could potentially rebook on, which could simplify matters if they need to create new plans.
Still time to make a deal
With both strike and lockout notices issued, the urgency is present for both parties to come to a consensus.
Barry Eidlin, a professor at McGill University and labor expert, states that such pressure can sometimes be beneficial.
“That pressure cooker environment … often fosters the necessary conditions for parties to collaborate and reach a negotiated agreement,” Eidlin noted.
He explains that this is often why negotiations seem to be at an impasse until an agreement is reached just before a strike is set to occur, citing the recent deal between Air Transat and its pilots as an example, where a resolution was found mere hours before pilots were expected to take action.
WestJet’s headquarters is seen as WestJet flight attendants hold a Day of Action while union members vote on a possible strike, in Calgary on July 14. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)
The primary contention between the two sides remains fair compensation.
Flight attendants argue that an average of 35 hours monthly go unpaid under WestJet’s existing “credit hour” system. This pay structure compensates them for ground tasks, delays, and other necessary duties by awarding a set number of credit hours per flight, which can vary based on the trip.
WestJet contends that the credit system is customary in the industry, asserting that flight attendants earn a higher rate under this pay scheme to account for additional responsibilities during what flight attendants deem unpaid time.
This issue echoes the core of last year’s Air Canada flight attendant strike. In that situation, John Gradek, a former director at Air Canada and aviation management professor at McGill University, noted that the union was able to rally substantial public support for flight attendants, who ultimately secured a deal that compensated them for some ground work.
“I believe CUPE in the WestJet case is hoping for a similar wave of support,” Gradek stated.