Air Canada joins Aerolíneas Argentinas, Alaska Airlines, KLM, and Aer Lingus among the growing list of airlines worldwide where flight attendants have taken strike action in recent years. This alignment places Canada’s flag carrier alongside other major global players that have faced serious labour disputes, with each case reflecting deeper tensions between airline management and their frontline crews.
For Air Canada, the strike threat comes from its flight attendants, who are pushing for fair pay that covers all hours worked — not just the time in the air. They argue that critical tasks like boarding passengers, conducting safety checks, and managing delays are currently unpaid, despite being essential to safety and service. Similar demands for better compensation and improved working conditions have fuelled strikes at other airlines, from Aerolíneas Argentinas pilots walking out over pay and safety concerns, to Alaska Airlines crews using strike mandates to secure stronger contracts, to KLM and Aer Lingus staff staging stoppages that disrupted major travel hubs.
These disputes share common roots: rising living costs, post-pandemic workload pressures, and longstanding frustrations over wage structures that no longer match inflation or industry standards. In each case, strikes or strike threats have caused widespread disruption, with flights cancelled, passengers rebooked, and operational schedules reshaped.
Air Canada’s inclusion in this global wave of airline labour unrest highlights how worker demands in one part of the world often echo those elsewhere. It also underscores the importance of fair negotiations in keeping the skies open, safe, and reliable for both travellers and staff.
Airline strikes are making headlines across the world in 2024 and 2025. Pilots, cabin crew, ground staff, and even air traffic controllers have walked out or threatened to strike. Their reasons are varied, but most centre on pay, working conditions, and staffing levels. These strikes have disrupted millions of passengers, caused thousands of flight cancellations, and impacted tourism and business travel. From Canada to South Africa, and from Germany to Argentina, the travel industry has had to adapt quickly. This report explains where and why these strikes are happening, and what they mean for passengers and the global aviation sector.
Why Air Canada Flight Attendants Are Going on Strike – Explained Clearly
- Core Reason – Fair Pay for All Work Hours
- Air Canada flight attendants are demanding to be paid for every hour they work, not just the time when the plane is in the air.
- At present, they receive pay only during “block time” (from when the plane leaves the gate to when it arrives), meaning essential duties like boarding, safety checks, waiting during delays, and post-flight tasks are unpaid.
- The union calls this “unpaid ground labour” and says it’s unfair, especially as these duties are critical for passenger safety and service.
- Months of Stalled Negotiations
- Contract talks have been ongoing for around eight months without a final agreement.
- The union, representing approximately 9,500 cabin crew, says Air Canada’s proposals do not meet cost-of-living needs or match industry pay standards.
- Airline management claims it has made a competitive offer, but union leaders say the gaps remain too large.
- Air Canada’s Offer – and Why It Was Rejected
- The company offered a 38% total pay increase over four years, with a 25% raise in the first year.
- It also offered to pay 50% of the hourly rate for some ground duties, but not all.
- The union rejected the offer, saying it still leaves workers earning below inflation-adjusted wages and fails to fully address unpaid time on the ground.
- Union Strike Vote – Overwhelming Support
- In a major show of unity, 99.7% of voting members supported a strike.
- The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) issued a 72-hour strike notice on 13 August 2025.
- The earliest possible strike start date is mid-August, but talks are ongoing.
- Airline Response – Lockout and Flight Cancellations
- Air Canada responded by issuing a lockout notice to cabin crew.
- The airline has started pre-emptively cancelling flights to minimise chaos if the strike proceeds.
- It has also asked the federal government to intervene, potentially by ordering binding arbitration.
- Union’s Position on Arbitration
- The union rejected binding arbitration, arguing it would “lock in” unfair terms and delay fair pay for all duties.
- CUPE insists only a negotiated settlement can properly address the pay and working condition issues.
North America Faces Labour Pressure in the Skies
In Canada, Air Canada’s cabin crew have issued a 72-hour strike notice. They could walk out as early as mid-August 2025. The dispute focuses on wages and unpaid work time during boarding and delays. The airline has warned of possible cancellations and is preparing contingency plans. In the United States, airline strikes are rare due to the Railway Labor Act, which requires a formal release from the National Mediation Board. American Airlines flight attendants have been in tough talks without a final deal. In Alaska Airlines’ case, a strike vote helped secure a new agreement earlier in 2025, showing that strike threats can still achieve results even without a walkout.
Europe Sees Waves of Airport and Airline Disruptions
Germany has experienced repeated airport strikes by the ver.di union, affecting more than 11 airports in March 2025. This 24-hour strike led to thousands of flight cancellations and left half a million passengers affected. Lufthansa’s main hubs in Frankfurt and Munich were hit hardest. In the Netherlands, KLM’s ground staff planned an eight-hour strike in July 2025. However, a court blocked the action after the airline offered a one-off bonus and a small pay rise. In Finland, Finnair’s ground staff staged actions in July 2025 that forced around 100 cancellations on certain days. A later settlement ended further disruption, but the airline reported a €29 million loss linked to spring and summer labour unrest.
France and Spain Struggle with Air Travel Delays
France’s air traffic control strikes in July 2025 forced many airlines, including Air France, to cancel or reschedule hundreds of flights. In Spain, airline strikes have been frequent. EasyJet’s Spain-based cabin crew staged a three-day strike in June 2025, disrupting travel in Málaga and Palma. Ryanair’s ground handling partner, Azul, began rolling strikes in August 2025, affecting major airports including Madrid and Barcelona. These strikes are set to continue several days a week until the end of the year, with scheduled time windows to maximise pressure.
Ireland and Portugal See Targeted Actions
In June 2024, Aer Lingus pilots held an eight-hour strike, leading to the pre-cancellation of 120 flights and affecting around 15,000 passengers. This was a high-profile reminder of the impact a single day’s strike can have in smaller markets. In Portugal, strikes by ground handling workers with Menzies and Groundforce in summer 2025 hit Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports. TAP Air Portugal faced delays and baggage handling problems. The strikes were scheduled in waves, especially over weekends, to disrupt peak leisure travel.
Africa Deals with Pilot Walkouts
In South Africa, FlySafair’s pilots went on strike for two weeks from July 21 to August 1, 2025. The airline operated a reduced schedule during the strike. The dispute ended with an agreement that restored normal operations in early August. This was one of the longest airline-specific strikes in the period, and it showed how extended industrial action can challenge airline reliability and passenger loyalty.
Latin America Faces Pilot and Transport Strikes
In Argentina, Aerolíneas Argentinas pilots went on strike on June 10, 2025. The action caused 22 cancellations and 28 rescheduled flights in a single day, with estimated losses of over $1 million. The union cited both pay and safety concerns. This strike was part of a broader pattern of transport unrest in Argentina, which has seen both public and private sector disputes.
Asia Experiences High-Profile Airline Staff Disputes
India has seen large-scale disruption from pilot and cabin crew disputes. In March and April 2024, Vistara pilots called in sick en masse, causing over 100 cancellations in 48 hours. Air India Express cabin crew staged a similar protest in May 2024, disrupting more than 90 flights before returning to work under a settlement. These incidents happened during major airline mergers, adding complexity to negotiations. They also highlighted how “sick-out” tactics can cause immediate operational problems without a formal strike declaration.
Reasons Behind the Global Strike Wave
Most of these disputes share common themes. Pay rises to match inflation are a major demand. Many workers are also pushing back against unpaid duties, such as cabin crew boarding time or delays spent on duty but off the clock. Staffing shortages and long duty hours are another cause, especially in air traffic control and ground handling. Unions argue that these shortages increase fatigue and reduce safety. Legal frameworks also shape how strikes happen. In the U.S., the Railway Labor Act makes strikes less frequent but not impossible. In Europe, strikes are more common, though sometimes courts intervene to prevent them, as in the KLM case.
Impact on Passengers and Airlines
Passenger disruption can be severe. Germany’s March 2025 strike saw more than 2,600 flights cancelled in a single day. In South Africa, two weeks of FlySafair strikes forced many travellers to rebook or switch airlines. In Spain, ongoing strikes will require passengers to plan carefully around known strike windows. For airlines, strikes mean lost revenue, damaged reputations, and in some cases, costly compensation under EU and UK passenger rights laws. For the wider travel industry, including hotels and tour operators, strikes can cause knock-on effects when travellers arrive late or not at all.
How Passengers Can Reduce Risk
Passengers can take steps to protect their travel plans. Booking flights outside known strike windows can help, as in Spain’s scheduled ground handling actions. Early morning flights are often less affected by same-day strikes. Travellers should monitor airline announcements and local news in the weeks before departure. Enrolling in alert systems, such as the airline’s own notification service or government travel alerts, can provide timely updates. In the EU and UK, knowing your compensation rights is important if a strike is caused by the airline’s own staff rather than third parties like air traffic control.
How the Industry Can Adapt
For the airline industry, strikes are a recurring risk that must be managed. This means investing in better labour relations, faster dispute resolution, and contingency plans to maintain partial operations during strikes. Airlines can also schedule more reserve staff and aircraft to absorb shocks. In some markets, partnerships with other airlines can provide alternative transport for affected passengers. Transparent communication is key. Passengers are more likely to remain loyal if they feel informed and supported during disruptions.
The Outlook for 2025 and Beyond
With ongoing inflation and staffing challenges, more airline strikes are possible in the coming year. The Air Canada cabin crew dispute in August 2025, and the ongoing Ryanair ground handling strikes in Spain, are two examples of current tensions. Seasonal peaks such as Christmas and summer holidays are likely flashpoints for industrial action. Passengers and the industry will need to stay flexible and ready for change. While strikes can be disruptive, they also underline the importance of the workforce in keeping global air travel moving.
Conclusion
The wave of airline strikes from 2024 to 2025 shows how labour disputes can ripple across borders and disrupt global travel. From Canada’s threatened cabin crew walkout to South Africa’s resolved pilot strike, the reasons and impacts vary, but the pattern is clear. Workers are demanding better pay, fairer conditions, and more support in challenging jobs. For passengers, the key is awareness and preparation. For airlines, it is negotiation and resilience. As the travel industry continues to recover from the pandemic, labour stability will be just as important as aircraft and routes in ensuring smooth, reliable journeys.
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