Around 10,000 members of cabin crew walked out on Saturday (16 August) but have agreed to return to work after mediated talks between their union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, and Air Canada got under way.
However, Air Canada has warned it could take between a week and 10 days to restore full, regular service across its mainline operation and its budget subsidiary Air Canada Rouge owing to aircraft and crew displacement. Flights are expected to resume on Tuesday evening.
Air Canada said that after the strike continued "unlawfully" on Monday (18 August), it estimates around 500,000 customers will have been disrupted by the industrial action.
In a statement issued on Tuesday after both parties committed to mediated discussions, the airline said: "During any ratification or under the binding arbitration process, a strike or lockout is not possible, meaning customers can plan, book and travel with Air Canada with certainty."
Chief executive Michael Rousseau added: "The suspension of our service is extremely difficult for our customers. We deeply regret and apologise for the impact on them of this labour disruption. Our priority now is to get them moving as quickly as possible.
"Restarting a major carrier like Air Canada is a complex undertaking. Full restoration may require a week or more, so we ask for our customers’ patience and understanding over the coming days. I assure them that everyone at Air Canada is doing everything possible to enable them to travel soon."
