WestJet flight attendants strike grounds fleet in Canada

Thousands of travelers in Canada faced major disruptions on Sunday, August 2, 2026, as WestJet flight attendants went on strike, grounding the carrier's main fleet. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing approximately 4,400 cabin crew, initiated the strike after the union and WestJet Group failed to reach a new collective agreement, halting flights on a busy summer holiday weekend.

The walkout forced WestJet to cancel all flights on its Boeing 737 and 787 aircraft. By early Sunday, more than 300 flights had been canceled, causing widespread travel disruptions. The airline stated it could not operate these scheduled flights and is contacting affected passengers directly for refunds or rebooking. WestJet's smaller regional service, WestJet Encore, and flights operated by partner airlines under codeshare agreements were not affected.

A central issue in the dispute involves compensation for work performed by flight attendants while still on the ground before and after flights. The union contends that some of this work is unpaid, while the airline maintains its staff is compensated through a credit hour system rather than a standard hourly wage. WestJet Group CEO...