Mediation discussions were initiated on the condition that
the union commit to having the airline's 10,000 flight attendants return to
work immediately, allowing Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge to resume operations,
which have been grounded since Saturday.
The airline said it will not comment on an agreement with the
flight attendants until the ratification process is complete. During any
ratification or under the binding arbitration process, a strike or lockout is
not possible, meaning customers can plan, book, and travel with Air Canada with
certainty.
"The suspension of our service is extremely difficult
for our customers,” said Michael Rousseau, president and chief executive officer
of Air Canada. “We deeply regret and apologize for the impact on them of this labor
disruption. Our priority now is to get them moving as quickly as possible.
Restarting a major carrier like Air Canada is a complex undertaking. Full
restoration may require a week or more, so we ask for our customers' patience
and understanding over the coming days. I assure them that everyone at Air
Canada is doing everything possible to enable them to travel soon.”
The first flights are scheduled for Tuesday evening, but
customers are advised that the airline's return to full, regular service may
require seven to ten days as aircraft and crew are out of position. During this
process, some flights will be cancelled over the next seven to ten days until
the schedule is stabilized.
Only customers with confirmed bookings whose flights are
shown as operating should go to the airport. Air Canada will offer
options to those with cancelled flights, including obtaining a full refund or
receiving a credit for future travel. The carrier will also offer to rebook
customers on other airlines, although capacity is currently limited due to the
peak summer travel season.
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