Date: August 1, 2026
By Kimberly Wilson
CALGARY, Alberta — WestJet has begun cancelling flights and parking aircraft as the airline prepares for a possible strike by its flight attendants during one of Canada's busiest summer travel weekends. The disruptions come after labour negotiations between the airline and the union representing its cabin crew failed to produce a new collective agreement ahead of a strike deadline.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents approximately 4,400 WestJet flight attendants, has issued a 72-hour strike notice, meaning job action could begin as early as 12:01 a.m. Mountain Time on August 2 if no agreement is reached. WestJet has also issued a lockout notice, although both sides say they remain at the bargaining table in hopes of reaching a deal.
On Friday, WestJet announced it had started parking its Boeing 737 fleet and cancelling some flights to maintain operational control should a strike occur. The airline said the move is intended to reduce disruption if labour action begins and to ensure aircraft and crews can be managed safely.
The central issue in the dispute is compensation for work performed on the ground. The union argues that flight attendants should be paid from the time they check in for duty until they clock out, including time spent boarding passengers, conducting safety checks, handling delays, and completing post-flight responsibilities. Under the current system, cabin crew are primarily paid only for time when the aircraft is in motion.
WestJet says negotiations have made progress but that important issues remain unresolved. In a statement, the airline said it is "active at the bargaining table" and remains committed to reaching a mutually acceptable agreement while preparing contingency plans in case negotiations fail.
CUPE officials also expressed cautious optimism that a strike can still be avoided. Union president Alia Hussain said meaningful progress has been made but emphasized that key issues surrounding compensation and working conditions must still be resolved before a deal can be finalized.
WestJet advised travellers scheduled to fly between July 30 and August 4 to monitor the status of their bookings. The airline has introduced flexible travel options, allowing eligible passengers to make a one-time change or cancel their reservations without paying change fees if their travel plans may be affected by the potential labour disruption.
The airline also clarified that WestJet Encore flights operated by Bombardier Q400 aircraft, along with flights operated by code-share partners, are not expected to be affected by the potential strike. The anticipated disruption primarily involves WestJet's mainline Boeing 737 operations.
The possible strike comes during the peak summer travel season and ahead of the long Civic Holiday weekend in many parts of Canada, when thousands of passengers are expected to travel. Both the airline and the union say they hope to avoid a work stoppage, but unless a last-minute agreement is reached, flight disruptions could begin this weekend.