Air Canada workers start strike action

Travellers on Air Canada flights between Iqaluit and Ottawa should prepare for long lineups and at airport check-in desks today. (FILE PHOTO)

POSTMEDIA NEWS

Air Canada is faced with its first major strike in nearly 13 years after the country’s largest air carrier failed to reach a new labour pact with 3,800 of its sales and service agents by their strike deadline at midnight.

The airline has said it plans to keep a full schedule throughout the strike with non-unionized workers and management filling in for striking workers at airports and call centres across the country.

But it has warned customers to expect long lineups, and is urging them to minimize the number of checked bags they have and to check in online before heading to the airport.

Air Canada runs a daily flight between Iqaluit and Ottawa, one of the nine major airports whose operations are expected to affected by the strike.

Staff will be on hand at airports to help with selfserve check-ins and baggage tagging as the airline heads into the busy summer season, the firm said.

Air Canada has also urged passengers to monitor the situation through updates on its website because of anticipated longer-than-expected delays at call centres.

The airline’s operations are expected to be affected at nine major airports across the country, including Montreal, St. John’s, Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.

Talks came to a standstill over a series of concessions management was seeking from the Canadian Auto Workers, which represents the sales and service workers. The airline has a $2.1-billion pension solvency deficit.