WestJet says that the full resumption of service will take some time, tentative deal reached
The Calgary-based airline says part of the challenge it faces is that its aircrafts are parked at 13 airports across Canada, and in several cases, the crews need to be transported to the aircraft for retrieval.
WestJet flight disruptions are expected to continue this week, after a deal was reached over the weekend to end a strike by its mechanics.
The airline said in a statement on Jul. 1 that “full resumption of operations will take time and further cancellations will be required over the coming days.”
Some 680 members of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association had walked off the job on Jul. 28 despite a directive for binding arbitration from federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan.
The tentative agreement was announced late on Jun. 30, but the strike had already disrupted the travel plans of tens of thousands of travellers over the Canada Day long weekend.
The airline said it had cancelled around 830 flights scheduled between Jun. 27 and Jul. 1. It later said another 214 flights were cancelled on Jul. 1 on top of 78 that had already been chopped, and 27 flights have been cancelled for Jul. 2.
The Calgary-based airline says part of the challenge it faces is that its aircrafts are parked at 13 airports across Canada, and in several cases, the crews need to be transported to the aircraft for retrieval.
A statement from the union says “the timing was coincidental as the negotiation process did not follow a predictable timeline and if members ratify it, the compulsory arbitration ordered by the labour minister won’t be necessary.
