WestJet has cancelled 81 flights scheduled for August 1, 2026, due to the threat of a flight attendant strike that could begin early Sunday morning.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing 4,400 WestJet flight attendants, issued a 72-hour strike notice set to expire just after midnight on August 2 in Calgary, where WestJet has its headquarters. WestJet issued a lockout notice concurrently on the same timeline.
Negotiations are ongoing between WestJet and CUPE to reach a new contract agreement. As of 10:30 p.m. Mountain Time on July 31, these 81 cancellations have already been implemented. WestJet advised passengers
scheduled to travel during this period to verify their flight status before heading to the airport.
Official Statements and Affected Flights
Alia Hussain, president of CUPE Local 8125, said, “We have made some progress, and the issues remaining need to be resolved at the table. We are hopeful that we can still avoid a strike and remain committed to resolving this there.”
WestJet confirmed that flights operated on WestJet Encore’s Q400 aircraft and codeshare flights by partner airlines are not affected by the cancellations. Passengers traveling between July 30 and August 4 may change or cancel their flights once without fees. If flights are cancelled
due to the strike, passengers are entitled to refunds.
Toronto Pearson Airport acknowledged the strike and lockout notices and urged travellers to confirm flight updates with carriers before departure.
Passenger Reaction and Travel Disruptions
Passengers reported uncertainty about their travel plans amid the strike threat. Gord Garwood, flying from Toronto to Vancouver, expressed concern over potential flight cancellations affecting his return trip in 10 days, saying, “Maybe it’ll get cancelled, maybe not. Fingers crossed.” He added he would attempt to adjust his itinerary at WestJet counters if needed.
Callie Adams, traveling to Mexico, stated she was prepared to notify her employer in case her return
flight is disrupted by a strike. Fellow traveller Corey Vahrmeyer, headed to Vancouver for a wedding, described airport conditions as chaotic and uncertain due to ongoing labour tensions.
Background on Labour Dispute and Previous Strike Context
The current strike threat arises from stalled contract negotiations centered on compensation for ground work performed by flight attendants. This issue triggered a flight attendant strike at Air Canada less than a year ago.
The federal government previously intervened during Air Canada’s strike by directing the Canada Industrial Relations Board to impose binding arbitration and mandate a return to work. Industry experts project that a WestJet shutdown during this peak summer period
could cost the airline millions of dollars in lost revenue.
WestJet operates over 600 flights daily across Canada, carrying more than 70,000 passengers on some days. The potential flight disruptions pose significant operational challenges for both the airline and travellers alike.
