The leisure airline Air Transat is preparing for a suspension of operations after receiving a 72-hour strike notice from its pilots’ union Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). Air Transat strike is supposed to begin in a few hours and the carrier says it remains open to a negotiated deal, but must begin implementing an orderly shutdown between December 8 and December 9 to avoid a chaotic disruption if flights are halted.
The dispute stems from year-long contract negotiations that began in January 2025. ALPA says the existing agreement, last updated over ten years ago, in 2015, no longer reflects current industry standards for pay, work-life balance, and job security. On December 2, nearly all eligible pilots (99 %) authorized their leadership to strike if no satisfactory deal is reached.
What It Means for Travellers
Air Transat asserts that it has offered a generous deal, including a 59 % pay raise over five years plus major improvements to working conditions. The airline characterises the strike notice as premature, given “progress made at the bargaining table”.
If the strike proceeds, flights will be cancelled progressively starting today, December 8, with full suspension by December 9. The airline says affected customers will be notified and offered free date changes under a flexibility policy for journeys planned in the next five days.
Industry-wide, flight cancellations and delays already pose major headaches: a recent global aviation report found that 78% of business travellers experienced travel disruption globally in 2024. Additionally, data shows that 27 % of travellers experienced cancellations and many reported extra costs or lost meetings due to delays.
For those booked with Air Transat: double-check flight status before heading to the airport, consider postponing or rebooking if possible, and allow extra time for possible delays or cancellation-related disruptions.
Air Transat says it’s working “around the clock” to avoid walkout, but if no agreement is reached, the shutdown could begin as early as today. If you have upcoming travel with Air Transat, especially December or early-January leisure flights from Canada to Europe, the Caribbean or the U.S., it may be wise to explore backup plans.
What do you think of this strike? Let us know in the comment.
