Air Canada Flight Attendant Strike: Your Rights, Compensation, and Travel Insurance

Air Canada continues to resume operations, and expects to restore almost its entire network by August 22, 2025. To accommodate travellers affected by the disruptions between August 15 and 23, the airline has extended its goodwill policy. In addition to the flexible booking policy already in place, Air Canada will now cover reasonable additional costs related to trip interruption, such as accommodation, meals, ground transportation and other essential expenses incurred by customers and their companions, upon presentation of receipts. Refunds will be processed as quickly as possible, although the high volume may result in a processing time of four to six weeks.

This special policy is in addition to the option to change any booking originally scheduled between August 15 and 18, 2025 (for tickets purchased no later than August 13), allowing travellers to reschedule their trip between August 21 and September 12, 2025, free of charge. For those whose flight was cancelled and who could not be rebooked promptly, Air Canada will also cover transportation expenses with other airlines, rail, ferry, or bus companies, provided that the alternatives were booked at a reasonable fare and in an equivalent or lower cabin class.

In the event of a cancellation, Air Canada is committed to finding a solution on the next available flight, leveraging its network of partners. However, seat availability is limited during the peak summer travel season. For customers who choose to cancel as a precaution, travel credits remain available for future use, but a full refund is only offered if the flight is cancelled by Air Canada. This policy applies exclusively to flights operated by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge.

While strikes are fairly common in Europe, a strike or lockout by Air Canada flight attendants poses a risk for Canadian travellers, and many of us may not be fully aware of our rights in the event of a strike.

First of all, while a flight attendant strike is considered beyond an airline’s control, customers should not have to pay for a dispute between the airline and its employees’ unions. Therefore, you are entitled to a refund if your flight is cancelled, or to have your itinerary completed, but your rights and compensation vary according to your itinerary.

While we’re hearing about a possible strike by Air Canada flight attendants, the following also applies to other carriers across the country.

Although the Montreal Convention and EU 261 laws cover basic expenses such as meals and accommodation for itineraries within Canada, you may be out of luck since a flight attendant strike is considered outside the airline’s control by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA). You’ll need to rely on your travel insurance; read your policy carefully and you may find clauses like this one from the TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card:

Flight/Travel Delay Insurance provides coverage to reimburse reasonable meal and lodging expenses in the event of delay for a valid reason (e.g., extreme weather conditions, unexpected equipment failure, strike or other work pressure, etc.) and reasonable ground transportation expenses.

Even if the law protects your flights, it’s a good idea to have extra insurance, just in case, especially as some credit card holders benefit from excellent coverage. It’s important to remember that airline compensation is not the same as insurance.

While a flight attendant strike can affect your trip, many other things can happen too, and regulations don’t always cover these elements. For example, you might break your leg a week before your much-anticipated trip to Patagonia, or your son could need emergency appendix surgery the day before your all-inclusive vacation.

Since it’s safe to assume that most people book their trips with a credit card these days, you need to make sure you’re using the right card. We often get questions in our community about which credit card offers the best rewards for travel purchases, but insurance is just as important and shouldn’t be overlooked.

If you want to make the most of it, you can take out a new credit card with excellent insurance and unlock a fantastic welcome bonus with your travel expenses! The following cards offer generous rewards and excellent travel insurance:

Employees in every industry have the right to demand higher wages and better working conditions, so a flight attendant strike shouldn’t come as a surprise. As we’ve seen in recent months, the travel industry has changed: there is a staffing shortage everywhere and demand keeps rising, leading to more work and stress for those still on the job. Ground staff could also go on strike; who knows?

Thanks to legislation and the right travel insurance, you could at least be compensated if you face a flight attendant strike in the coming months.

Finally, if you want to take advantage of your credit card insurance, make sure your card remains open and active during your trip and throughout the entire claims process!