CanadaAir Canada says it plans to resume flights on Sunday after the federal government stepped in and ordered binding arbitration to end a flight attendants’ strike the day before.Flights expected to go ahead this evening as airline works to return to normal operationsThe Canadian Press · Posted: Aug 17, 2025 5:32 AM EDT | Last Updated: 18 minutes agoA man checks the departure board as Air Canada flight attendants strike at Montreal–Trudeau International Airport in Montreal Saturday. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)Air Canada says it plans to resume flights on Sunday after the federal government stepped in and ordered binding arbitration to end a flight attendants’ strike the day before.The Montreal-based airline says the first flights will resume this evening, but that it will take several days before its operations return to normal.Air Canada says it has been directed by the Canada Industrial Relations Board to resume operations and have flight attendants continue their duties by 2 p.m. ET.The federal government ordered the airline and its flight attendants back to work Saturday, ending a strike and lockout after less than 12 hours. Today, Cross Country Checkup is asking: Should the government have forced Air Canada flight attendants back to work? How have you been affected by the strike? Leave your comment here and we may read it or call you back for our show later this afternoon! The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents the flight attendants, has accused federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu of caving to Air Canada’s demands.The CUPE, which represents more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, announced its members were heading to the picket lines after being unable to reach an eleventh-hour deal with the airline, while Air Canada locked out its agents about 30 minutes later due to the strike action.WATCH | Federal government steps in to resolve labour dispute between Air Canada and CUPE: Binding arbitration ordered to resolve Air Canada labour dispute: Minister HajduThe federal government is stepping in to resolve a labour dispute between Air Canada and the union representing flight attendants, Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu revealed on Saturday. Hajdu told journalists she is ordering binding arbitration and operations to resume.Air Canada had been asking the minister to stop the strike for days, pointing to recent government interventions in other labour disputes. The union had urged her not to, saying her decision “sets a terrible precedent.””The Liberal government is rewarding Air Canada’s refusal to negotiate fairly by giving them exactly what they wanted,” the union wrote in a statement Saturday afternoon.The two sides are set to return to the table this week.With files from CBC News
Air Canada says it will resume flights Sunday after Ottawa intervenes in strike
