A WestJet Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner makes a go-around while attempting to land at Barcelona-El Prat Airport, in Barcelona, Spain, on May 23, 2026. (Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
WestJet flight attendants went on strike Sunday after contract negotiations with Canada's second-largest airline failed to produce a new labor agreement, disrupting flights during the peak summer travel season.
Dig deeper:
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents about 4,400 WestJet flight attendants, is seeking compensation for the entire time employees are on duty — from check-in until they clock out — rather than only when the aircraft is in motion.
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The strike comes nearly a year after Air Canada flight attendants staged a four-day work stoppage, underscoring a broader push by cabin crews in Canada and the United States to change industry pay practices that compensate flight attendants primarily while planes are flying.
CUPE issued a 72-hour strike notice Thursday, warning that a walkout would begin if negotiations failed. In response, WestJet issued a lockout notice as talks continued.
What they're saying:
The union said Sunday it negotiated until the last possible moment but concluded that "WestJet's offer did not go far enough."
"We are on strike because we believe we deserve better. We are ready to go back to the table to settle," said Alia Hussain, president of CUPE's WestJet component.
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What you can do:
WestJet confirmed the strike and said it would provide refunds or alternative travel arrangements for affected passengers.
"We presented a proposal... to offer an hourly rate covering all time before and after flights, plus a double-digit wage increase in year one among other priorities the union raised. Unfortunately, it wasn't accepted," WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said.
Big picture view:
Canada's Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu called the strike disappointing.
"A strike or lockout does not mean an agreement can't be reached; the expectation is that parties can and should come to an agreement at the bargaining table," Hajdu said.
Ahead of the strike, WestJet canceled 309 flights through Sunday night, saying the move was intended to "minimize the risk of stranding guests and aircraft."
The Canadian government intervened to end last year's Air Canada strike, a move that flight attendants later challenged. CUPE's WestJet division said it hopes the government will not step into the current labor dispute.
The Source: Reuters contirbuted to this report. This story is based on reporting from Reuters, which cited statements from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech, and Canada's Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu. This story was reported from Los Angeles.