Air Canada, the largest airline in Canada, has announced its contingency plans to suspend all flying operations if a threatened strike by its pilots goes ahead. The Air Line Pilots Association (Alpa), representing Air Canada's 5,200 pilots, is expected to call for a strike on Wednesday, September 18th, after 15 months of pay negotiations. The pilots are demanding higher pay to match their counterparts in the United States.

The main issue stems from the fact that the pilots are operating under a decade-old contract, while inflation in Canada has increased, leaving their pay falling behind the rising cost of living and the pay of other airlines' pilots. The pilots' union emphasizes the need for a new contract that recognizes their contributions to Air Canada.

However, the airline argues that the average income of an Air Canada pilot has increased by more than double the rate of inflation since 2014. The airline points out that its captains earned a minimum of C$215,075 (£121,000) last year, with some earning up to 63% more, for an average of 13.3 days' work per month or less.

In preparation for a potential strike, Air Canada is making plans to suspend its mainline operations as well as its lower-cost Rouge brand. The airline has been working diligently over the past 14 months to reach a new collective agreement and aims to become the best-paying airline in the country for pilots once an agreement is reached.

Air Canada President and CEO, Michael Rousseau, expressed concerns about the potential strike, stating that the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of Canadians are hanging in the balance. The impact of a strike would be significant, requiring a progressive cancellation of flights over three days and potentially leading to a complete shutdown as early as 12.01 am EDT on Wednesday, September 18th.

Air Canada warns that the process of resuming operations after a shutdown would be lengthy and complex due to the interdependent nature of its operations. If a strike occurs, crews will be displaced globally, aircraft will need to be parked in non-traditional locations, and maintenance tasks will be required to ensure aircraft preservation.

Passengers booked to travel between September 15th and 23rd can proactively change their bookings to a later date between September 24th and November 30th. Air Canada assures passengers that they will be notified in advance of any impact on their flight itineraries.

For passengers affected by cancellations, Air Canada will be responsible for finding alternative ways to reach their destinations as close to the original timings as possible. This may involve rebooking on partner airlines such as British Airways, Air Transat, or WestJet, or flying through the United States with United Airlines as part of the Star Alliance partnership.

It is important to note that the situation differs in terms of passengers' rights depending on whether the journey starts in the UK, the EU, or Canada. European air passengers' rights rules require the airline to provide compensation, hotels, and meals in the event of cancellations within its control. However, under Canadian regulations, airlines are excused from a duty of care if disruptions are caused by factors beyond their control, such as a labor strike.

The outcome of the negotiations and the potential strike remains uncertain. While there have been instances where pilots' strikes were called off at the last minute, Air Canada's preparedness to wind down operations indicates its willingness to face a stoppage. The airline's CEO has called on the government to intervene if talks fail before any travel disruption occurs.

As the potential strike looms, both Air Canada and the pilots' union will be looking for a resolution that addresses the concerns of the pilots while also ensuring the airline's financial stability and meeting customers' travel needs.