Canada Pilot Strike To Shut Air Transat Flights

Published on Dec 8, 2025, 9:27 am CST

11 min read

Key points

Air Transat has begun winding down flights December 8 to 9, 2025 ahead of a possible pilot strike from December 10
Pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Association issued a 72 hour strike notice on December 7, putting all Air Transat flights at risk
The airline plans to halt most operations by December 9 while operating limited repatriation flights to avoid stranding passengers
Refund and credit rules differ for trips on or before December 12 versus December 13 and later under Air Transat policies
Core exposure is on transatlantic routes from Montreal and Toronto plus sun flights to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America
Alternative capacity exists on carriers such as Air Canada, Air France, WestJet, Sunwing, Porter, and others but will tighten quickly on peak dates

Impact

Where Impacts Are Most Likely: Expect the heaviest disruption on transatlantic links from Montreal and Toronto and on peak winter sun routes from secondary Canadian cities
Best Times To Fly: Safer options are earlier departures on competing airlines this week or trips moved outside the December 8 to 12 window while negotiations continue
Connections And Misconnect Risk: Treat all itineraries involving Air Transat as at risk for misconnects and avoid separate tickets or tight same day links through European and sun gateways
What Travelers Should Do Now: Verify whether your specific flight is already cancelled, compare Air Transat refund and credit options with firm inventory on competitors, and rebook critical trips proactively
Refunds And Passenger Rights: Document any cancellation notices, request refunds in original form of payment when entitled, and be prepared to cite Canada Air Passenger Protection Regulations if disputes arise

Holiday travelers using Air Transat now face a controlled shutdown of the carrier's network, as the airline begins cancelling flights on December 8 and 9, 2025, in response to a formal strike notice from its pilots. The Air Line Pilots Association, ALPA, which represents roughly 700 Air Transat pilots, has served a 72 hour notice that allows a walkout as early as 3:00 a.m. ET on December 10. To avoid aircraft and crews being stranded overseas, Air Transat is progressively suspending services and shifting to a repatriation posture, which will hit both transatlantic and sun routes at the height of winter peak season.

The Air Transat pilot strike flights risk has moved from a theoretical shutdown to an announced wind down of operations, and travelers with bookings in the coming days should now assume that many flights will either be cancelled in advance or operate on a limited recovery schedule.

How The Wind Down Will Work

In a notice to investors, Air Transat's parent Transat AT said the airline will gradually suspend flights between December 8 and 9, then halt operations entirely by December 9 if no deal is reached, specifically to prevent passengers and crews from being marooned abroad. The carrier has criticized the timing of the strike notice as premature, pointing to an offer that includes a 59 percent salary increase over five years and better working conditions, while union leaders argue that a "modern contract" is overdue.

Reporting from aviation outlets echoes that sequence, describing a three day shut down plan in which Air Transat starts cancelling flights on Monday, moves to near full suspension on Tuesday, and then focuses on bringing customers home on remaining services. Air Transat's own "notice to travellers" confirms that the strike could formally begin on December 10 and warns that operations will be disrupted until a settlement is reached.

For travelers, that means three overlapping risks. First, flights on December 8 and 9 are increasingly likely to be cancelled preemptively, even before any strike starts. Second, flights from December 10 onward could be mass cancelled if the walkout goes ahead. Third, even if a last minute deal is struck, rebuilding the full network after a controlled shutdown will take several days, so irregular operations could stretch well beyond the legal strike window.

Routes And City Pairs Most Exposed

Air Transat is a leisure focused carrier with its main hub at Montréal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL), and significant operations at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB), and several other Canadian gateways. In peak winter, the airline schedules nearly 300 weekly non stop flights from seven Canadian cities, serving more than 30 destinations across the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, Florida, Europe, and North Africa.

On the transatlantic side, the heaviest exposure is on trunk routes such as:

Montréal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), where Air Transat competes with Air Canada and Air France.
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), where Air Canada and Air France also operate multiple weekly non stop flights.
Montréal to European leisure points such as Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Lisbon, Porto, Malaga, Valencia, and Madrid, which Air Transat promotes heavily in its winter program.

On the sun side, Air Transat's risk is spread across a dense network of flights from Montréal, Toronto, Québec City, Halifax, Ottawa, London in Ontario, and other secondary cities to destinations like Cancun International Airport (CUN), Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), Montego Bay, Puerto Vallarta, and Cartagena. Many of these routes are weekly or a few times per week, so a prolonged shutdown can effectively remove all direct lift on specific city pairs until other carriers absorb demand.

Newly launched or upgauged routes that Air Transat has promoted for winter 2025 to 2026, including Montréal and Toronto to Rio de Janeiro and Montréal to Guadalajara, are also at risk. Because those flights may be unique in the Canadian market, travelers on these itineraries should be especially cautious and consider back up plans via other hubs.

Rebooking And Refund Rules Versus Competitor Capacity

Air Transat has outlined specific options depending on travel dates. According to reporting that summarizes the carrier's guidance, customers whose flights are cancelled will receive an email and a refund to the original form of payment if no acceptable alternative is available, which aligns with Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations, APPR, requirements for cancellations within the airline's control.

For trips scheduled on or before December 12 that have not yet been cancelled, passengers can cancel proactively through an online form and receive a travel credit valid for 12 months, then rebook once that credit appears. For flights on or after December 13, the airline has so far indicated that normal fare rules apply, which means change fees and fare differences may be charged unless further waivers are issued.

By contrast, federal guidance and passenger rights advocates emphasize that when an airline cancels for reasons within its control, travelers are entitled to a refund for unused segments within 30 days, plus potential cash compensation of at least CAD 400.00 (about $290.00 USD) per passenger when notice is 14 days or fewer before departure, subject to APPR conditions. That applies even if the airline initially steers customers toward vouchers, so travelers should keep records of cancellation notices and push for refunds when they fit the criteria.

On overlapping routes, several competitors already offer substantial capacity. Between Montréal and Paris, Air Canada and Air France operate non stop services with multiple weekly frequencies, and Air France and Delta also connect Montréal with Paris through alliance networks. Between Toronto Pearson and Paris Charles de Gaulle, Air Canada and Air France again provide non stop flights, with up to 20 direct services per week across carriers.

On key sun routes from Toronto to Cancun and similar leisure markets, Air Canada, WestJet, Porter, Sunwing, Flair, and several foreign airlines already operate a mix of daily and high frequency services, with more than 100 weekly flights between Toronto and Cancun alone. From Montréal to Punta Cana and other Caribbean gateways, Air Canada, WestJet, and Sunwing also supply significant lift.

The practical takeaway is that, while Air Transat customers have alternatives on many routes, that capacity is finite and already busy during December holidays. Seats on the most desirable departure dates and times are likely to disappear quickly if the strike goes ahead or even remains likely.

How To Decide When To Rebook Or Cancel

For travelers, the decision tree depends on dates, flexibility, and how critical the trip is.

If you are booked on Air Transat between December 8 and 12, especially on long haul legs to or from Europe or on weekly sun flights from smaller Canadian cities, you should treat your itinerary as high risk for disruption, even if it still shows as scheduled. Check whether your flight is already listed as cancelled, then decide whether to wait for a formal cancellation and a refund offer, or to cancel under the airline's credit policy and rebook immediately on another carrier.

If you have a must make connection, for example a cruise departure, a tour start, or a once per year family event, the safer move is to secure inventory on another airline now, even if that means routing through a different hub such as Toronto Pearson, Montréal Trudeau, or a European gateway like Paris Charles de Gaulle. Prices will likely be higher and routings less convenient, but that tradeoff can be preferable to waiting and discovering that all workable options have sold out once cancellations accelerate.

If your trip is more discretionary, you can afford to wait a bit longer, but you should still monitor negotiations and check your email and booking status multiple times per day. A last minute settlement would avoid a strike but would not necessarily guarantee that all already cancelled flights are reinstated on short notice.

For travelers already at their destination, Air Transat and independent rights advocates advise that if your return leg is cancelled and the airline cannot offer a reasonably timed alternative, you can book a new ticket on another carrier and seek reimbursement for the fare difference, as well as a refund for the unused portion of your Air Transat ticket and, for package trips, unused hotel nights. Keep copies of all receipts, communications, and screenshots of published policies.

Background: Why Airlines Shut Down Before Strikes

Airlines facing a probable strike often begin controlled network shutdowns before the legal start time, rather than operating normally until a hard cut. The aim is to avoid ending each day with aircraft and crews scattered in places where they cannot be recovered easily under a strike scenario.

In Air Transat's case, the network is heavily oriented toward long haul leisure and weekly sun flights, which makes positioning especially important. A plane that departs Montréal for a Caribbean island or a secondary European city on December 8 might not be scheduled to return to Canada until well into the strike window on December 10 or later. By winding down from December 8 to 9 and then focusing on repatriation, the airline can park most of its fleet in home bases rather than leave individual aircraft and crews stuck abroad.

This pattern mirrors recent shutdown playbooks at other Canadian carriers facing labor actions, where a phased suspension over several days is used to provide some certainty and reduce the risk of passengers sleeping in terminals for extended periods. The tradeoff is that many flights that might have operated if a last minute deal materializes are cancelled in advance, which is why refund rights and clear communication are critical.

What Travelers Should Do Next

Travelers with Air Transat tickets in the next two weeks should now act rather than assume the storm will pass. Start by confirming your exact booking details, including ticket number, booking channel, and whether your trip is a flight only purchase or part of a package. Then, check Air Transat's strike information page and your flight status, and save any notices that mention cancellation or schedule changes.

Next, decide if you are comfortable accepting a voucher and rebooking later, or if you need cash back. For cancelled flights, you have a strong case for a refund to your original payment method under APPR, and in some cases cash compensation, regardless of what default option the airline promotes. If you rebook on another airline, compare itineraries across Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing, Porter, and foreign carriers such as Air France, TAP Air Portugal, and others serving your route.

Finally, keep an eye on negotiations. Both Air Transat and ALPA say they are still at the table and that a deal remains possible before the strike clock runs out. A quick agreement could avert the worst case scenario, but until there is an official announcement, travelers should plan as if the strike and associated shutdown will proceed.

This article updates our December 7 coverage of the potential Air Transat pilot strike and builds on that analysis with confirmed details of the wind down and specific traveler options. For a broader look at how airline strikes disrupt Canadian travel and how to protect yourself, see our explainer on airline labor actions and passenger rights in Canada.