WestJet to begin parking planes ahead of possible strike
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WestJet is beginning to park its 737 aircraft across its network as the clock ticks closer to a possible strike by the airline’s flight attendants.
The airline says this measure will help prevent travellers and planes from being stranded abroad.
“This necessary step allows the airline to maintain operational control and protect the integrity of the broader network,” WestJet said in an update on its website.
The airline says passengers should check the status of their flight before leaving for the airport.
Despite the wind down, the company said it was still bargaining with flight attendants in order to try and reach a negotiated deal.
WestJet’s flight attendants issued a 72-hour strike notice Thursday, which the airline responded to with a 72-hour lockout notice of their own. That means some 4,287 flight attendants could be off the job as soon as Sunday at 12:01 a.m. MT — over the August long weekend, a busy time for domestic travel.
That strike notice doesn’t commit flight attendants to taking job action, but has proved worrisome for passengers who are left in limbo, unsure whether or not their flights will take off this weekend.
The airline says WestJet Encore flights and codeshare flights operated by airline partners remain unaffected.
WestJet flight attendants have issued a 72-hour strike notice, raising the possibility of a walkout during the busy summer travel season. Bonnie Thompson says a cancelled trip could leave her out as much as $20,000 in prepaid expenses.
In two emails obtained by CBC News, WestJet said it had put forward what it believes is the best agreement it could responsibly offer.
That includes an agreement to the union’s request for compensation before and after flights through “duty premium payments,” a cumulative wage increase of about 36 per cent over four years, scheduling improvements and better provisions for things like travel and hotels while flight attendants are away from home, according to a WestJet email.
“The offer would have represented a significant step forward not only for WestJet Cabin Crew, but for the Canadian airline industry as a whole,” one of the emails reads in part.
CBC News reached out to the union, known as the CUPE WestJet Component, for comment.
Union hopeful strike can be avoided
In response to the emails, CUPE WestJet Component President Alia Hussain said what WestJet has shared is a “small part of a very large contract.”
“We aren’t just bargaining a few things, we are seeking a comprehensive contract that reflects the priorities of our members,” Hussain said in an email.
Hussain added that while some progress has been made…
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