WestJet is gradually restarting its operations after reaching a tentative agreement with the union representing its flight attendants, ending a strike that disrupted the August long-weekend plans of approximately 250,000 travellers.
The Calgary-based airline and the Canadian Union of Public Employees announced Monday that they had reached a proposed agreement covering approximately 4,400 cabin crew members. Flight attendants are returning to work while the agreement is prepared for a membership ratification vote.
The settlement ends a brief but costly walkout that began Sunday after negotiations continued through the strike deadline without producing an agreement.
Hundreds of flights were cancelled as WestJet reduced its network and positioned aircraft and crews in anticipation of the labour disruption. The effects were felt particularly strongly at Calgary International Airport, WestJet’s largest hub and the departure point used by many Chestermere and area residents.
Although the strike has ended, the airline cautioned that its schedule will not immediately return to normal. Aircraft and employees must be repositioned throughout Canada and at international destinations before regular service can resume.
Passengers travelling through August 6 are being advised to check their flight status before leaving for the airport. WestJet says affected customers will be contacted directly about cancellations, rebooking options or refunds.
The central issue in the negotiations was how flight attendants are compensated for duties performed while aircraft are on the ground.
Like many North American cabin crews, WestJet flight attendants have traditionally received most of their pay based on flight-credit hours rather than every hour spent at work. The union argued that this left employees inadequately compensated for boarding passengers, conducting safety checks, assisting travellers and waiting through delays.
The tentative agreement reportedly introduces a new duty-period premium recognizing more of the time flight attendants spend working outside actual flying hours. It also includes general wage increases and improvements to WestJet’s existing flight-credit system. Complete details will be presented to union members before they vote on the agreement.
Before the strike, WestJet had publicly offered a 13 per cent wage increase effective October 1, retroactive to January, followed by annual increases of 2.5 per cent through 2029. The union maintained that compensation for ground duties remained the more fundamental issue.
The dispute echoed the 2025 Air Canada flight-attendant strike, during which unpaid or partially compensated ground work was also a major point of contention.
For travellers, the tentative settlement removes the threat of a prolonged shutdown, but it does not guarantee that every scheduled flight will operate during the next several days.
Chestermere passengers with WestJet bookings should monitor the airline’s website or mobile application and wait for confirmation that their flight is operating before travelling to the airport. Customers whose flights were cancelled can seek rebooking or a refund, depending on whether they still wish to travel.
WestJet has apologized for the disruption and says restoring its network safely is now its priority.