Strike Struck Down: Air Canada Back in the Sky

After what felt like forever, Air Canada is finally dusting off its wings and climbing back into the sky. The airline just struck a tentative deal with its 10,000 cabin crew, ending a nearly week-long standoff (or as passengers called it: pure nightmare). With about 130,000 travelers stranded daily and flights left wandering aimlessly, Air Canada’s now saying: buckle up, the schedule’s cleared for takeoff.

The deal was reached early Tuesday after long, tense talks. The Canadian government had already stepped in with binding arbitration and ordered crews back to work, but the union pushed back and refused to follow.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) wasted no time celebrating this deal. They declared that “Unpaid work is over. We have reclaimed our voice and our power.”

At the same time, Air Canada has begun rolling out a limited flight schedule. Service resumed Tuesday night, with 155 flights already departing from major hubs in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, covering routes as far as Tokyo-Narita and Los Angeles.

But don’t celebrate complete normalcy just yet. Even with such progress, Air Canada has cautioned that it will take at least a week (likely longer) before full service is restored. The airline explained that restarting operations is a complex process and asked passengers to be patient as schedules gradually return to normal.

Passengers are cautiously hopeful but still understandably frustrated about the vacations they were robbed of. Many are still stranded, juggling refunds, rerouting, or waiting endlessly for help. Some say relief is relief but after days of chaos but their trust sure hangs in the balance.

So what’s in the yet-to-be-ratified deal? Though full details are kind of under wraps but we do know the agreement includes pay for ground-based work—one of the union’s key grievances. The full contract still needs approval of the member vote. Fingers crossed that the unions members get the compensation that they deserve.