WestJet and its flight attendants union are locked in high-stakes contract negotiations with a Sunday deadline looming, threatening widespread flight disruptions during a busy summer holiday travel weekend across Canada.
If no agreement is reached by Sunday morning, July 31, 2026, a work stoppage could begin, potentially forcing the cancellation of hundreds of scheduled flights.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents 4,400 WestJet flight attendants, initiated a 72-hour strike countdown that expires shortly after midnight on Sunday in Calgary, where the airline is headquartered.
In response, WestJet issued a matching lockout notice following the same timeline.
The Calgary-based airline has not specified how many flights have been pre-emptively canceled, but carriers typically scale back operations ahead of labor deadlines to avoid stranding aircraft and crew.
Passenger Flexibility and Potential Impact
To manage disruptions, WestJet is allowing passengers booked between July 30 and August 4 to alter or cancel itineraries without extra fees, and offering full refunds for canceled flights.
The potential labor disruption comes during a peak travel period, with the airline typically operating over 600 daily flights and carrying more than 70,000 passengers on high-volume days.
Industry experts estimate a full operational shutdown would result in millions of dollars in losses for Canada's second-largest airline.
