WestJet Cancels 150 Flights Amid Mechanics' Strike
The Canadian airline WestJet has announced significant flight cancellations for June 29, 2024, due to a strike initiated by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) during a long weekend in Canada. With Canada Day on July 1, a national holiday, over 250,000 passengers had planned to travel during this period.
The strike has already led to the cancellation of 150 flights, affecting approximately 20,000 travelers. WestJet indicated that additional cancellations might occur on Saturday if the strike continues without intervention.
As of June 27 and June 28, the airline had already canceled 25 flights, impacting around 3,300 passengers. Diederik Pen, President of WestJet Airlines and Group Chief Operating Officer, stated, "A strike serves no one, as this negotiation has already been referred to binding arbitration. We know how painful this is for our guests and our people; however, we must start the immediate and safe parking of our aircraft."
Starting June 29, WestJet will begin parking aircraft at various stations across Canada, with plans to operate a significantly reduced schedule by the end of the day. The airline's fleet includes 134 aircraft, comprising 127 Boeing 737s and seven Boeing 787 Dreamliner widebodies.
WestJet expressed disappointment over the AMFA strike, holding the labor union responsible for what it described as "reckless actions." Pen further remarked, "The scale of this deliberate disruption is devastating, and AMFA must be held accountable for their reckless actions. Without immediate intervention, significant disruption will unnecessarily harm tens of thousands of Canadians along with the entire economic ecosystem that depends on our critical air service."
The strike was initiated following a directive from Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan, who ordered the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to enforce binding arbitration to resolve the dispute between WestJet and the AMFA. The union criticized the minister's action, claiming it lacked modern precedent.
In response to the AMFA's second strike notice on June 25, 2024, WestJet stated, "WestJet presented a revised industry-leading offer, which would see WestJet AMEs receive a 22 percent increase over four years, making them by far the best paid AMEs in Canada. The union's ask exceeds this mark by a long shot and remains unreasonable."