Air Canada offers free rebooking on flights impacted by possible strike

As a possible pilot strike looms, Air Canada is offering to rebook flights for free.

Last week, Air Canada’s 5,400 pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, voted 98 per cent in favour of strike action if a collective agreement cannot be struck. The earliest the pilots can go on strike is Sept. 17.

The pilots have been in contract negotiations since June 2023, with the wide wage gap between Canadian pilots and their counterparts in the U.S. one of the main issues.

On Tuesday, pilots held an informational picket at Pearson Airport in Mississauga.

Both sides are hopeful a strike can be averted.

“Air Canada’s intention remains to reach a negotiated settlement with its pilots, one that recognizes their professionalism and contributions to the airline,” Air Canada said in a press release on Tuesday.

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The airline said there has been “significant progress” during the talks recently.

In the meantime, Air Canada is introducing a “goodwill policy” for customers with flights around the potential strike period.

“Starting today, customers who have purchased travel on Air Canada flights for the period immediately preceding and after the end of the cooling off period on September 17, 2024, can change any travel already purchased at no additional cost,” the airline said.

Changes can be made online at www.aircanada.com, through the Air Canada mobile app, through a travel agent, or by calling the Air Canada Contact Centre at 1-888-247-2262 (although wait times may be long).

The goodwill policy allows customers with bookings on any fare type travelling between Sept. 15 and 23 to rebook to any other Air Canada flight with the same origin and destination up to Nov. 30.

Ticket holders can also cancel the flight and use the credit on a future flight; or get a refund (for those with non-refundable tickets, refunds are not available); or cancel their flight and rebook travel for after Nov. 30, in which case change fees will be waived but the customer will have to pay the fare difference, if any.

The policy applies to all Air Canada operated flights, including Air Canada mainline, Air Canada Rouge, Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz or PAL Airlines, and Air Canada Vacations (an additional fee may apply for hotels).

Lead photo: Air Line Pilots Association