Update on WestJet strike: “It will take some time” before flights resume

WestJet flight disruptions are expected to continue this week after an agreement was reached over the weekend to end a strike by mechanics.

In a statement on Monday morning, the airline said that “full resumption of operations will take some time and further cancellations will be necessary in the coming days.”

Around 680 members of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association went on strike on Friday evening, despite US Labor Secretary Seamus O’Regan’s order for binding arbitration.

The preliminary agreement was announced late Sunday evening, but the strike had already disrupted the travel plans of tens of thousands of travellers over the long Canada Day weekend.

The airline said it had cancelled around 830 flights between Thursday and Monday. It later said that on Monday, in addition to the 78 flights already cancelled, another 214 flights were cancelled and 27 flights were cancelled for Tuesday.

The Calgary-based airline says one of the challenges is that its planes are parked at 13 airports across Canada and, in several cases, crews need to be transported to the planes for pickup.

A union statement said: “The timing was coincidental as the negotiation process did not follow a predictable timeline and if members ratify it, the mandatory arbitration process ordered by the Minister of Labor will not be necessary.”

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2024.