Air Canada strike begins impacting flights to Sangster International

MBJ Airports Limited (MBJ), the operators of the Sangster International Airport, is advising passengers that two Air Canada flights scheduled for today have been cancelled as more than 10,000 of the airline's flight attendants went on strike early Saturday.

Flights AC 982 and AC 983 were scheduled to arrive at 11:05 a.m. and depart at noon, respectively.

MBJ says Air Canada passengers who were booked to travel today are advised not to proceed to the airport but instead contact the airline for rebooking.

Additionally, hotels are being advised to retain guests travelling via Air Canada and not transport them to MBJ until the situation has been resolved and normal flight operations resume.

All affected Air Canada passengers must contact the airline directly through the following channels to rebook their flight or request a refund:

• Air Canada mobile app

• Website: aircanada.com/mybookings and aircanada.com/action

• Phone: 1-888-247-2262

• Travel agents for those who booked through third parties

MBJ says Sangster International Airport operations are continuing normally for all other airlines and flights.

It says while these cancellations are beyond MBJ’s control, it understands the significant inconvenience these cancellations cause and is monitoring the situation closely to provide updates as soon as more information is available.

Air Canada suspended operations after a deadline to reach a deal passed, leaving travellers around the world stranded and scrambling during the peak summer travel season.

Canadian Union of Public Employees spokesman Hugh Pouliot confirmed the strike had started after no deal was reached, and the airline said it halted operations.

A bitter contract fight between Canada’s largest airline and the union representing 10,000 of its flight attendants escalated Friday as the union turned down the airline’s request to enter into government-directed arbitration, which would eliminate its right to strike and allow a third-party mediator to decide the terms of a new contract.

A complete shutdown will impact about 130,000 people a day, and some 25,000 Canadians may be stranded abroad daily. Air Canada operates around 700 flights per day.

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