Flight attendants at WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline, walked off the job Sunday in a dispute over pay, forcing the cancellation of more than 300 flights and disrupting travel across the country during a three-day holiday weekend.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the airline’s 4,400 cabin crew, announced the strike after negotiations collapsed. WestJet confirmed the walkout, stating it remained available to reach an agreement with the union.
At the heart of the dispute is how flight attendants should be compensated for duties performed while still on the ground, such as boarding and pre-flight preparation. The union argues that much of this work goes unpaid, while the airline maintains that staff are compensated through a “credit hour” system rather than a conventional hourly rate.
“We presented a proposal that would have set a new standard for cabin crew in Canada, making WestJet the only airline to offer an hourly rate covering all time before and after flights, plus a double-digit wage increase in year one among other priorities the union raised,” said Alexis von Hoensbroech, CEO of the WestJet Group. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t accepted.”
The airline said it was unable to operate any of its scheduled flights on Boeing 737 or 787 aircraft. Affected travelers will be refunded or reaccommodated, with the company contacting those who booked directly via email. Passengers who reserved through travel agents or third-party platforms were advised to contact those providers.
WestJet Encore flights operated on the Q400 turboprop, along with code-share flights run by partner airlines, remain unaffected by the industrial action.
The strike echoes labor tensions that swept through the Canadian aviation sector last summer, when flight attendants at Air Canada, the country’s largest carrier, pressed similar demands over unpaid ground duties. The issue has increasingly become a flashpoint in cabin crew negotiations across North America.
The timing of the walkout, at the peak of a summer holiday weekend, adds pressure on both sides to reach a resolution. Cancellations rippled through major hubs, leaving travelers scrambling to rebook amid limited alternatives on other carriers.
With talks stalled, the duration of the strike remains uncertain. Both the union and the airline have signaled a willingness to continue negotiations, though no timeline has been set for resuming full service.