Photo: Air Transat Canadian airline Air Transat is preparing for a huge strike by its pilots.
The company has announced that it will begin a gradual shutdown of its operations following a strike notice it received from the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents its 700 pilots. According to the announcement, flight cancellations will begin gradually starting today (December 8), and operations will be completely halted on Tuesday (December 9).
However, the company emphasizes that an agreement that could prevent the strike and avoid a shutdown may still be in the works.
The company also noted that the ultimate goal now is to minimize the impact on customers. In this regard, the company is preparing to prevent a situation in which passengers, crew, and aircraft are stranded outside Canada. In addition, the company is offering customers with flights scheduled for the next five days the option to make changes or postpone their travel dates at no additional cost.
The company also noted that after lengthy negotiations with the association, an agreement was reached on all of the standard clauses in the new collective agreement. The company submitted an offer that included a 59% salary increase over five years, along with significant improvements in working conditions. However, it claims that the organization rejected the offer without showing openness. The company emphasizes that the Histadrut's demands are considered unreasonable, and that the strike announcement is expected to cause serious harm to both customers and the company's additional 4,300 employees.
Photo: Air Transat
"This strike notice is premature given the progress made at the bargaining table and the generous offers made by Air Transat," said Julie Lamontagne, Chief Human Resources, Corporate Responsibility and Communications at Air Transat, adding: "We have demonstrated a serious commitment throughout the process and a sincere willingness to reach an agreement by proposing several compromises and improvements that address the pilots' demands. Despite these efforts, ALPA has shown no openness, and the discussions have not led to an agreement. It is regrettable that the union has expressed such indifference toward Transat, its employees and clients by choosing the path of a strike at this time of year—a reckless decision that does not reflect the state of negotiations. While our priority is now to take care of our customers, we remain committed to the process in order to conclude a negotiated agreement."
As a reminder, the current crisis comes after a particularly turbulent period in the Canadian aviation industry, when just a few months ago, there was a huge strike at Air Canada that affected tens of thousands of passengers and caused severe disruptions to flight schedules.
Air Transat is a Canadian airline based in Montreal that specializes in charter flights to tourist destinations worldwide. Founded in 1987, the company is considered one of the most popular airlines in Canada for vacations and organized tours, operating a fleet of Airbus aircraft and serving millions of passengers annually.
Air Transat. Photo: Shutterstock / Erman Gunes