Canadian airline Air Transat's flight suspensions to begin ahead of strike

Days after the global airline operations came to a standstill due to an issue with the Airbus aircraft fleet, one of Canada’s largest airlines, Air Transat, has announced to start suspending flights starting today (Monday) in anticipation of a planned strike by pilots.

Air Line Pilots Association, the Canadian airline's pilots' union, issued a 72-hour strike notice on Sunday, stating that pilots will stop reporting to work on Wednesday if a contract agreement is not reached.

In response to the impending strike and to avoid the chaos driven by a sudden interruption, Air Transat is has announced to suspend flight operations.

The airline described the strike notice as "premature," while union leader Capt. Bradley Small emphasised that pilots are left with no choice after months of unproductive negotiations.

He warned that if an agreement is not reached, management will be accountable for any flight delays, cancellations leaving passengers stranded at the airports.

Reason behind Air Transat flight cancellations

The Air Transat pilots have reportedly been negotiating for nearly a year to replace their current 2015 contract with one that ensures "industry-standard pay, benefits, work rules, and job security." The union reported that 99% of its 750 pilots authorised the strike.

Having confirmed it would start cancelling flights on Monday, all Air Transat flights will be suspended on Tuesday in preparation for the potential strike.

Human resources officer Julie Lamontagne criticised the union's decision to authorise a strike, calling it reckless.

The airline stated that these cancellations are necessary to prevent disruptions for crews, passengers, and aircraft if the strike occurs.