Air Transat Pilot Strike Averted Hours Before Deadline

A potential strike by the union representing Air Transat pilots was averted late on Tuesday after the two sides reached a deal just a few hours before the strike was set to begin at 3 a.m. on Dec. 10.

While some flight cancellations already started as Air Transat began to wind down operations on Tuesday, the airline said that in light of the new agreement, operations are returning to normal.

“This agreement marks a significant step in the process, lifting the risk of a strike and allowing our customers to travel with peace of mind. It will be submitted to members for ratification in the coming days. Our operations are returning to normal,” Air Transat said.

The news also means that Air Transat’s change fee waiver will end. Any passenger who did not attempt to cancel or receive communication from Air Transat that their flight was cancelled still has a valid reservation. Any passenger who did cancel their flight will need to make a new reservation.

There’s no word on what the deal looks like. The pilot’s union, which was looking for a better contract for its members with improvements in pay, schedules, and job security, had said that “unless significant progress is made at the bargaining table, we will strike.”

Air Transat typically operates around 71 flights per day, or about 500 flights per week, during normal operations.