More than 300 WestJet flights were cancelled across Canada on Monday, August 3, 2026, accounting for approximately 62 percent of the airline’s scheduled departures that day. As of 11 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, August 4, another 16 WestJet flights had been cancelled as the airline continued to recover from a one-day flight attendant strike.
WestJet’s flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE 8125), initiated strike action on August 3, resulting in widespread cancellations and delays. Ahead of the strike, WestJet placed an undisclosed number of Boeing 737 aircraft into storage and repositioned crews and planes
both within Canada and overseas. Aviation management expert John Gradek of McGill University noted the repositioning will require multiple days to restore, with network normalcy expected by Friday or Saturday and full backlog clearance projected within one to two weeks.
Following a tentative agreement reached between WestJet and CUPE 8125, flight attendants have returned to work, ending the strike. WestJet is now in the recovery phase, actively working to normalize operations while advising passengers to check flight status prior to traveling to airports. The airline has extended its flexible cancellation policy through August 6, 2026, allowing affected customers a one-time
change or cancellation without fees, provided adjustments are made at least two hours before the original scheduled departure.
Passengers impacted by cancellations during the strike may be entitled to meal vouchers, accommodations, and compensation under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), administered by the Canadian Transportation Agency. If cancellations cause arrivals delayed by three hours or more, WestJet is mandated to offer alternative travel arrangements within 48 hours, potentially including flights on competing airlines and rebooking via nearby airports. However, travelers who independently cancel or rebook risk forfeiting their APPR protections.
Marsha Manuel, a Canadian traveller stranded in Portugal, described
how her WestJet flight to Miramichi, New Brunswick, was cancelled last-minute with no timely rebooking or accommodations provided. She criticized the airline for poor passenger support amid ongoing disruptions.
WestJet’s official statement said, “WestJet is resuming operations and entering the recovery phase following a labour disruption. Flights have begun to operate; however, the impacts of the disruption continue as the airline works to restore its network. Guests are encouraged to continue checking the status of their flights before heading to the airport.” CUPE 8125 confirmed that the tentative agreement ended the strike and attendants are returning to duty.
John Gradek
further explained the operational challenges: “To ride out the strike, aircraft and crews were repositioned across the country and overseas, and getting them back where the schedule needs them takes days, not hours. Realistically, we’re looking at Friday or Saturday before the network resembles normal, and a week to 10 days to fully clear the backlog—because this is peak summer, the flights still operating are already full, and there’s almost no room to reaccommodate people.” He advised passengers not to cancel and rebook themselves to avoid losing regulatory protections.
