If you are travelling with Air Canada next week, you may want to keep an eye on your flight before heading to the airport. The union representing its 6,800 flight attendants has served a strike notice. That means a walkout could start as soon as Sept. 21.
The company says there is still time for both sides to reach a tentative agreement. Florence and Rick Hebert are hoping that agreement happens before they fly back from their trip to Florida.
"I don't know what's going to happen if they are in strike in two weeks time, how we'll get back," said Florence.
For now, it's business as usual for Air Canada as they make efforts to reach an agreement. "We have a federal mediator assisting us so there's still lots of time to come to a negotiated settlement and avert any disruption," explains Peter Fitzpatrick of Air Canada who spoke with CTV news over the phone.
This could be the airline's second strike this year after customer service agents walked off the job for three days in June before the government tabled back-to-work legislation.
All the potential strike action is causing some traveller's confidence in the airline to weaken. "This happened to be the flight best for time, otherwise we fly competition," said Tom Isford, who is flying Air Canada to Edmonton.
Travel agents say travellers don't need to look at alternate airlines unless they're travelling in the near future. "We've seen these things kind of come and go so for consumers, people travelling, keep an eye on flights and see what's happening in the next while," explaind Karen Wiggett of CAA.
Air Canada has introduced a free re-booking policy until Dec. 9. If there is a strike, the company says it will maintain partial service.
-With a report from CTV's Ina Sidhu
