WestJet flight attendants’ union serves 72-hour strike notice

The union representing 4,400 flight attendants at WestJet says it has issued 72-hour strike notice, paving the runway for a possible strike this weekend.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees says the two sides remain far apart on key issues, and that the airline issued a 72-hour lockout notice after it was given strike notice.

While serving strike notice does not guarantee flight attendants will hit picket lines, job action could begin as soon as Sunday at 12:01 a.m. MT if the two sides don’t reach a deal.

WestJet has been allowing passengers with flights scheduled any time between July 30 and Aug. 4 to make a one-time change or cancel it with no fee.

The union has said key issues include unpaid work for tasks such as ground duties, while WestJet has said all duties are compensated through a “credit hour” system rather than an hourly rate.

The airline says it operates more than 600 flights per day, carrying more than 70,000 passengers on some days.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2026.

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