WestJet Cancels Hundreds of Flights as Cabin Crew Strike Drags On, Wider Walkout Notice Filed Through September 2

More than 4,000 WestJet flight attendants represented by CUPE went on strike after contract talks broke down, and the airline has canceled 309 flights so far, disrupting Canada-wide and transborder service during peak late-summer travel. The walkout is one of the largest labor actions to hit a Canadian carrier in years, and it lands at a time when WestJet is trying to expand its European and transborder route network.

Unions have filed a broader strike notice extending through September 2, though no additional walkout dates beyond the initial action have been confirmed as of this week. Pay, scheduling and rest-period rules are the central sticking points, with flight attendants arguing that compensation hasn’t kept pace with the airline’s post-pandemic growth and expanded international flying.

WestJet has been proactively canceling flights days in advance to give passengers time to rebook rather than stranding them at the airport, and the airline says it is offering full refunds or free rebooking on partner carriers for affected itineraries. The disruption is concentrated on domestic Canadian routes, with some U.S. and European connections operated by WestJet also affected.

Travelers booked on WestJet in the coming two weeks should monitor the airline’s app or website daily, since cancellations are being issued on a rolling basis rather than all at once. Passengers with connecting international itineraries should confirm with their onward carrier whether rebooking protection applies, and consider refundable fares for any new bookings until the labor dispute is resolved.

Sources: TravelTourister, OnLabor