Air Transat Faces Potential Crisis as Pilot Strike Looms
Montreal, QC – Air Transat is bracing for potential disruption as its pilots’ union prepares to file a strike notice as early as Sunday, threatening to derail travel plans during the critical summer season. The looming labor action comes amid ongoing contract negotiations, with pilots seeking improvements to both compensation and working conditions.
While Air Transat has implemented salary increases totaling 19% for its pilots since 2020-with nearly half now earning over $200,000 annually-a important gap remains compared to industry standards. According to John Gradek, coordinator of the aviation management program at mcgill University, the pay disparity is currently estimated at less then 35-40%, but should be closer to 20%. he emphasizes that the core issues extend beyond salary, focusing on scheduling practices and overtime calculations.
The airline acknowledges the need for a new collective agreement, stating, “The objective remains to negotiate a collective agreement to the satisfaction of both parties, which will take into account the realities of the market and those of the company and which will recognize the contributions of our pilots,” said Alex-Anne Carrier, a spokesperson for Air Transat.
However, the situation is compounded by a recent exodus of pilots. Over the past four years, 200 pilots have left Air Transat, possibly impacting the airline’s operational capacity. The last complete renegotiation of the collective agreement occurred in 2015, with subsequent adjustments proving insufficient to retain staff and address current concerns.
Should a strike notice be filed, Air Transat has pledged to assist affected customers by offering rebooking on the next available flight within 48 hours of the original departure or a full refund for unused portions of their trip. Customers are also permitted to cancel or change reservations according to their fare class terms and conditions.
Despite these assurances,industry analysts warn the timing of a potential strike could be devastating for Air Transat. With peak travel season approaching, passengers are already shifting bookings to competitors like sunwing and air Canada to avoid potential cancellations, inflicting lasting damage on the airline’s reputation and bottom line. “The damage is done for Air Transat,” Gradek stated.
