Air Transat Pilots Issue 72‑Hour Strike Notice: Flight Suspensions, Timeline and Passenger Rights Explained

MONTREAL — December 7, 2025

Air Transat will begin gradually suspending flights on Monday, December 8, after its pilots served a 72‑hour strike notice early Sunday, setting up a potential walkout on Wednesday, December 10 and a major disruption to holiday travel. ^[1]

The notice, delivered by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), compels the carrier to carry out a “gradual and orderly shutdown” of operations over the next three days to avoid aircraft and crews being stranded abroad if a strike begins. ^[2]

What Just Happened on December 7

According to a notice posted on Air Transat’s website at 3:45 a.m. ET, the union representing the airline’s pilots issued a strike notice on December 7, which can be exercised in 72 hours. The company warns that flight operations will be disrupted until an agreement is reached and confirms it is implementing an action plan to wind down service through December 9. ^[3]

A separate corporate press release from Transat A.T. Inc., Air Transat’s parent company, states that: ^[4]

The airline has received a 72‑hour strike notice from ALPA, representing roughly 700 pilots.
Flight cancellations will begin gradually on December 8, with a complete suspension of flights by December 9.
The airline is prioritizing the repatriation of passengers, crews and aircraft to their points of origin ahead of a potential walkout.
Additional flexibility is being offered to customers travelling within the next five days, allowing itinerary changes or postponements without extra fees.

A concise Reuters dispatch confirms that Air Transat “will gradually suspend flights on Monday and Tuesday” in response to the notice, underscoring the severity of the disruption. ^[5]

Meanwhile, Canadian Press reporting carried by outlets such as Winnipeg Free Press indicates the union — representing about 750 pilots in some accounts — intends to strike Wednesday morning unless progress is made at the bargaining table. ^[6]

A Year‑Long Labour Dispute Reaches a Boiling Point

The strike notice caps nearly a year of tense negotiations between Air Transat and its pilots:

January 2025 – Contract talks begin between Air Transat and ALPA. ^[7]
September 15, 2025 – ALPA Canada files a Notice of Dispute with federal mediators, citing a lack of progress and deep disagreements over financial and safety‑related provisions. ^[8]
November 18, 2025 – The parties leave conciliation, triggering a 21‑day cooling‑off period under Canadian labour law. ^[9]
December 3, 2025 – ALPA announces that 99% of participating pilots (with 98% turnout) voted to authorize strike action once legally permitted, giving union leaders the power to call a strike as early as the morning of December 10. ^[10]
December 4, 2025 – The international pilots’ federation IFALPA issues a mutual assistance request, warning that the company and union remain far apart on key financial and safety items and preparing other pilot groups to support Air Transat crews from December 7 onward. ^[11]

In its own statement, ALPA stresses that pilots have been flying under what it calls a “decade‑old and outdated” contract based on 2015 standards, and says the strike mandate reflects frustration over the pace and substance of talks. ^[12]

What the Pilots Want — and What the Airline Says It Has Offered

Pilots’ demands

Public statements from ALPA and related briefings highlight several core goals for Air Transat pilots: ^[13]

Job security, particularly in a competitive leisure market where outsourcing and fleet decisions can affect pilot careers.
Improved working conditions and quality of life, including scheduling, rest rules and long‑haul duty limitations.
Compensation increases that reflect current industry standards after a period of high inflation and strong demand for pilots.

ALPA has framed the dispute as an attempt to bring Air Transat’s contract in line with the larger wave of pilot deals signed across North America in recent years, which in some cases have produced double‑digit cumulative pay increases and strengthened work‑rule protections. ^[14]

The union maintains it does not want to strike and continues to call for an “equitable agreement” at the table — but argues that a strong mandate was necessary after “nearly a year of slow bargaining and little progress.” ^[15]

Air Transat’s position

Air Transat argues that it has already put a generous package on the table and portrays the strike notice as disproportionate to the state of talks. In its December 7 press release, the company says: ^[16]

Negotiations have included a “complete overhaul” of the collective agreement, with agreements reached on all standard clauses.
The latest offer provides a 59% salary increase over five years, along with “major improvements” to working conditions.
Management characterizes the union’s demands as “unreasonable” and the strike notice as “premature”, warning that it will have “serious consequences” for customers and the company’s roughly 4,300 other employees.

Despite that tough language, the airline insists a negotiated settlement is still possible and says it is working “around the clock” to avoid strike action and minimise disruption. ^[17]

How Flights Will Be Affected: December 8–10 and Beyond

Based on official notices and corporate statements as of December 7, the operational picture is as follows: ^[18]

December 7 (today):
- Air Transat flights continue to operate, but customers may see pre‑emptive cancellations as the airline begins its wind‑down plan.
- The carrier’s website warns that operations will be disrupted until an agreement is reached.
December 8:
- Progressive cancellations begin. The company is prioritizing the repatriation of passengers and aircraft to home bases such as Montreal–Trudeau (YUL) and Toronto Pearson (YYZ).
December 9:
- Air Transat expects to fully suspend flight operations by the end of the day if no agreement has been reached.
December 10:
- This is the earliest date a legal strike can start under the 72‑hour notice, and the union has signalled plans to walk out that morning unless there is a breakthrough at the bargaining table. ^[19]

The timing could hardly be worse for holidaymakers: Air Transat is a major leisure carrier linking Canada with Europe, the Caribbean, Florida, South America and North Africa, and was voted 2025 World’s Best Leisure Airline by Skytrax. ^[20]

Travel agents and tour operators are already bracing for cascading rebookings, particularly on popular winter routes to sun destinations and European Christmas markets.

Passenger Rights: Cancellations, Compensation and Rebooking

A key question for travellers is what they are entitled to if their flight is cancelled or delayed because of the labour dispute.

Pre‑emptive cancellations vs. strike‑day cancellations

Passenger‑rights advocates draw an important distinction between: ^[21]

Pre‑emptive cancellations
- These are flights cancelled before any strike actually begins, while crews are still available and the airline is proactively thinning its schedule.
- Legal experts and advocates such as Air Passenger Rights founder Gábor Lukács argue that such cancellations are typically “within the carrier’s control” under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), because the airline is choosing to cancel rather than being physically unable to operate.
- For large airlines like Air Transat, when a cancellation within the airline’s control (and not required for safety) causes a delay of 3 hours or more in arrival or forces a refund, passengers may be entitled to compensation of C$400–C$1,000, depending on delay length, plus meals, accommodation and rebooking. ^[22]
Cancellations during an actual strike
- Once pilots are on strike, disruptions stemming from the work stoppage are generally treated as outside the airline’s control under the APPR.
- Airlines still have strong obligations to rebook passengers or refund tickets, but cash compensation for inconvenience is typically not owed for delays and cancellations caused directly by a strike. Major carriers explicitly state this in their APPR notices. ^[23]

In a recent CityNews interview, Lukács urged passengers to insist on their rights if their Air Transat flight is cancelled pre‑emptively, including demanding rebooking on other airlines or buying their own replacement ticket and later seeking reimbursement if the carrier refuses to assist. ^[24]

What Air Transat is promising travellers

In its strike‑notice FAQ, Air Transat tells customers that: ^[25]

They should check the dedicated strike page and mobile app regularly for updates and flight status.
Travellers whose flights are cancelled will be contacted directly at the email address on file with options and information on remedies.
A flexibility policy allows customers travelling in the next five days to change or postpone trips with no additional fees.

Practical steps for anyone booked with Air Transat

Given the evolving situation, practical advice for passengers includes:

Monitor your booking closely
- Check your flight status on Air Transat’s website or app multiple times in the days and hours before departure.
- Make sure your contact details in the booking are up to date so you receive any cancellation or rebooking offers quickly. ^[26]
If your flight is cancelled before a strike begins
- Ask explicitly whether the cancellation is “within the carrier’s control”, and request:
  - Rebooking at the earliest opportunity, including on partner or competitor airlines, and
  - APPR compensation if applicable (up to C$1,000 for large carriers, depending on delay length). ^[27]
If your flight is cancelled during an actual strike
- You are still entitled to rebooking or a refund, even if compensation is not owed. Keep records of all communications and receipts if you must make your own arrangements. ^[28]
Check your travel insurance
- Some policies cover labour disruptions, trip interruption and additional hotel costs; others exclude strikes. Review the fine print now, before you travel.

Impact Beyond Passengers: Cargo and Supply Chains

Although Air Transat is best known as a leisure airline, it also carries belly cargo on its transatlantic fleet. A recent supply‑chain analysis warns that the strike threat is already forcing companies to rethink December shipments that rely on Air Transat capacity. ^[29]

Key points from that analysis include:

The overwhelming 99% strike mandate and the December 10 legal strike date create a narrow window for shippers to reroute critical cargo.
Businesses reliant on Air Transat for holiday inventory and just‑in‑time deliveries face potential cost increases of 18–25% when switching last‑minute to alternative air carriers during peak season.
Logistics experts recommend quickly lining up backup carriers (such as Air Canada Cargo, WestJet Cargo or European airlines) and, where possible, shifting lower‑priority goods to sea or rail to preserve limited air capacity for high‑value shipments. ^[30]

For firms that depend heavily on a single carrier, the Air Transat dispute is a stress test of supply‑chain resilience — and a reminder to diversify transport options before labour tensions flare.

A Labour Flashpoint in a Tense Aviation Landscape

The Air Transat showdown comes amid a global wave of aviation labour disputes:

Earlier this year, Air Canada flight attendants mounted a large‑scale strike over pay and working conditions, forcing widespread cancellations and drawing federal attention. ^[31]
In the United States, pilots at major carriers have secured substantial double‑digit pay increases and improved work rules over the past two years, shifting industry benchmarks for pilot compensation. ^[32]
A recent case at Allegiant Air saw the pilots’ union block the airline’s attempt to secure U.S. permanent residency for lower‑paid foreign hires, arguing that there is no longer a pilot shortage and pressing for better conditions for domestic crews. ^[33]

Within Transat itself, the dispute unfolds against a backdrop of financial restructuring and shareholder pressure. The company recently reported improved quarterly results and a return to net profit, but still faces heavy debt and has drawn criticism from major shareholder Pierre Karl Péladeau, who is pushing for a board shake‑up and what he describes as urgent strategic changes. ^[34]

All of this heightens the stakes of the pilot negotiations: management is trying to contain labour costs while stabilizing the balance sheet, even as a tight pilot labour market strengthens the union’s leverage.

What Happens Next

Over the next 72 hours, several key developments will determine whether travellers face a brief disruption or a prolonged shutdown:

Intensified bargaining: Both sides say they remain at the table. Any sign of a tentative agreement — even at the last minute — could see the strike notice lifted and the wind‑down reversed, though restarting operations after a full suspension would still take time. ^[35]
Government pressure: While there is no indication yet of federal back‑to‑work legislation or formal intervention specifically for Air Transat, Ottawa has been drawn into earlier aviation labour disputes this year and will be watching closely given the impact on Canadians’ holiday travel. ^[36]
Customer response: How quickly Air Transat can rebook or refund passengers — and how consistently it applies APPR obligations, especially for pre‑emptive cancellations — will shape public and regulatory perception of the airline’s handling of the crisis. ^[37]

For now, the message to anyone with an Air Transat booking between December 8 and 10 is clear: assume your flight could change, know your rights under Canadian rules, line up a backup plan if possible, and watch for rapid developments at the bargaining table as the strike deadline approaches.