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Air Transat Strike Forces Over 180 Flight Cancellations, Stranding Hundreds of Passengers

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Thursday, December 11th 2025 at 1:29 GMT by Global News

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Air Transat strike forces extensive flight cancellations, disrupting hundreds of passengers

A sudden labor dispute at Canada’s leisure carrier Air Transat has sent shockwaves through the travel industry, with the airline reporting the cancellation of more than 180 scheduled flights across its Caribbean and Mexico network. The strike, launched by flight‑attendant staff on Tuesday morning, has left thousands of holidaymakers scrambling to rebook or claim refunds, and has raised questions about the stability of air travel to popular vacation destinations.

What triggered the strike?

The catalyst was a failed contract negotiation between Air Transat and the Carriers Airline Workers Union (CAWU), which represents the airline’s cabin crew. In late March, the union announced that it had exhausted all avenues for a compromise after the airline proposed a modest wage increase that fell short of the 6‑percent raise sought by the workers. “Our crew deserves fair compensation for the hours and effort they put into ensuring passenger safety and comfort,” said CAWU president John O’Connor in a statement posted on the union’s website.

The union’s announcement included a formal notice that it would proceed to strike action if a satisfactory agreement was not reached within 48 hours. Air Transat, on its part, claimed it had “made every possible effort to resolve the dispute” but was forced to halt flight operations for safety and operational reasons once the strike was confirmed.

How many flights were affected?

According to Air Transat’s own updates posted on its website and shared through major travel platforms, the strike caused the cancellation of 182 flights that were scheduled between March 26 and March 29. The majority of the cancellations were on routes from Toronto and Montreal to the Caribbean—specifically Cancun, Punta Cana, Montego Bay, and Puerto Vallarta—as well as a few transatlantic connections from Toronto to London and Frankfurt that were already in the process of being re‑scheduled.

The airline also stated that 1,040 passengers were impacted, with approximately 200 of those customers requiring assistance to secure alternate travel arrangements. Many of those passengers had booked multi‑stop itineraries that hinged on Air Transat’s Caribbean hops, and the sudden void in scheduling forced them to confront additional travel costs and logistical headaches.

Passengers’ experience

The cancellation surge has caused a wave of frustration on the ground. According to travel‑booking sites, several customers filed complaints about insufficient notice, citing that they were only informed of the cancellations at the airport gates. “I was standing in line for my boarding pass, and the screen suddenly changed to ‘flight cancelled,’” said a Toronto resident who booked a family trip to the Dominican Republic. “I didn’t even get a chance to ask why.”

Air Transat’s customer‑service channels have been inundated with calls and emails, with the airline’s spokesperson, Emily Chen, urging passengers to keep calm and check the airline’s official flight‑status page. “We are offering full refunds for all affected passengers and are actively working to place them on partner airlines where possible,” Chen said.

Union demands and the airline’s counter‑offer

The CAWU’s primary demands revolve around a wage increase that would bring cabin crew compensation in line with industry averages, as well as improvements to overtime and layover policies. While the union has not released a formal contract proposal, it has stated that it is open to a “fair and equitable” settlement that protects workers’ livelihood.

Air Transat’s CEO, Marc Gagnon, has issued a statement saying the company believes it is “committed to the well‑being of its employees” and that it has “already opened the lines of communication with the union.” The company has indicated that it is willing to revisit its wage structure but insists that operational costs have risen sharply due to fuel prices and increased safety protocols post‑COVID. The union has rejected the airline’s offer, citing the urgency for a resolution given the financial toll on both the staff and the passengers.

Wider industry context

The strike comes at a time when many airlines are wrestling with post‑pandemic recovery challenges. A report from the Canadian Transportation Association highlighted that airlines have faced a 12‑percent rise in fuel costs in 2024, pushing carriers to seek higher wages for their crews. In this context, the Air Transat dispute is part of a broader trend of labor unrest across the Canadian aviation sector.

Other carriers such as WestJet and Air Canada have announced that they are “monitoring the situation closely” and have expressed a willingness to cooperate with Air Transat to ease passenger disruptions, especially on shared codeshare routes.

Resolution prospects

While both sides are still negotiating, industry analysts predict that a resolution could take between 3 and 5 days, depending on the willingness of the union to accept revised proposals. The Canadian Labour Relations Board has offered to mediate if the parties cannot reach an agreement within the next 48 hours. The union’s website includes a live countdown timer that updates as negotiations progress.

Passengers and travel agencies are advised to keep a close eye on Air Transat’s website and the FlightAware platform for real‑time updates. Should the strike extend beyond the initial window, the airline has warned that additional flight cancellations could occur, particularly on low‑season routes that have limited redundancy.

Bottom line

Air Transat’s strike has underscored the fragility of the airline’s Caribbean network in the face of labor disputes. With more than 180 flights canceled and over a thousand passengers stranded, the incident has triggered a ripple effect across Canada’s tourism and travel sectors. While both the airline and the union claim to be working toward a swift resolution, the outcome remains uncertain, leaving travelers in a state of uncertainty as they navigate an increasingly volatile travel landscape.