ACTA, TIAC urge government to act quickly as Air Canada strike looms

Both TIAC and ACTA are urging the federal government to engage promptly in facilitating a resolution to avert another significant challenge facing the travel industry.

Pilots at Air Canada have recently voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate, which could be enacted as early as
Sept. 18 if negotiations with the company fail to result in an agreement.

Air Canada is the country’s largest airline, transporting up to 120,000 passengers each day. If its planes are grounded, the repercussions on the travel industry would be devastating, with Canadian consumers, employees, and businesses across the nation also feeling the effects.

What could a strike mean?

ACTA represents a network of small to large-sized businesses across the country that support the travelling public by providing expert advice and tailored services. For these businesses, a labour disruption at Air Canada would mean significant financial strain and uncertainty, threatening their ability to operate effectively and meet their clients’ needs.

“Our members are fielding calls from people across the country and throughout the world concerned about potential disruptions to their long-awaited travel plans and critical business trips,” said Wendy Paradis, president, ACTA. “This uncertainty alone threatens our industry’s long-term growth. We urge the federal government to take swift action in support of a resolution that will safeguard travel plans and protect our sector’s stability.”

In a statement, TIAC points out that the potential of such a strike “comes at a time when the Canadian tourism industry is still reeling from recent labour disputes that paralyzed two of Canada’s major rail networks and on the heels of a disruption at another major Canadian airline, causing significant damage to our national economy and global reputation.”

And TIAC says that “proactive government engagement is crucial to prevent a labour disruption to protect the interests of travellers and mitigate further damage to the tourism sector and Canada’s broader reputation.”

The prospect of another labour disruption comes just months after significant travel disruptions following other major transportation strike actions.

The ongoing uncertainty is jeopardizing Canada’s global reputation as a reliable destination for both leisure and business travel, further threatening the vitality of travel agencies and independent travel advisors from coast to coast.