Air Canada is nearing steady operations following the complete network shutdown that ended with its flight attendants partially returning to work on 19 August.
The carrier will fly close to its full schedule on 22 August, citing the ”exceptional commitment and expertise” of its workers for the ahead-of-schedule recovery.
All currently available aircraft in Air Canada’s fleet had returned to passenger-carrying service on 21 August. As of 15:00 Montreal time, Air Canada had cancelled about 30 flights across its network – a vast improvement compared with the past several days of operations.
Air Canada previously estimated that travel would be disrupted for at least a week following the walkout of 10,000 flight attendants represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), as aircraft and crews were left out of position.
The strike ended when the union tentatively agreed to a new four-year contract that secures compensation increases, though the contract still requires approval from CUPE members.
Air Canada has cancelled the more than 1,500 domestic flights and more than 1,600 international flights as a result of the strike, according to data provided by aviation analytics firm Cirium.
The airline is offering passengers compensation for hotel accommodations and other out-of-pocket expenses for flights disrupted between 15-23 August.
Though the total financial impact of the operational shutdown is unclear, Air Canada pulled previously issued guidance for the full year of 2025. The strike is the latest setback in what has already been a challenging year for the carrier, which, like other Canadian airlines, has struggled with sagging demand for flights to the USA.
Air Canada’s second-quarter profit narrowed year-on-year to C$182 million ($131 million), compared with a C$410 million profit during the April-June period of 2024, according to financial data tracked by Airline Business.
