Air Transat plans to halt flights after its pilots gave a 72-hour strike notice, creating the risk of major travel delays later this week. National Post
Air Transat pilots moved closer to a walkout after giving the company a 72-hour strike notice. The notice arrived just days before the holiday travel season. The union said it reached this point after nearly a year of talks with Transat A.T. Inc.
Bradley Small, who leads the Air Transat pilot group, said negotiations hit a wall. “We’ve been literally locked down here for a week, and some progress has been made,” he said during a call from Montreal. He explained that both sides clash on pay. “It’s when we start hammering out the compensation side of it — that’s where things have become very, very difficult.”
He added in a public statement: “Unless significant progress is made at the bargaining table, we will strike if that’s what it takes to achieve a modern contract.”
Travel Plans Face Disruption
Air Transat plans to update passengers once cancellations begin. The airline runs almost 40 active aircraft and operates more than 500 flights each week. Tens of thousands of travellers fly to Europe and the Caribbean on the carrier.
Both sides accused each other of delaying progress. Small said Transat stayed “less than present.” He represents nearly 750 pilots. Transat officials disagreed. The company’s human resources chief, Julie Lamontagne, said the union shows “no openness.” She called the strike move “a reckless decision that does not reflect the state of negotiations.”
Company Faces Major Pressures
The strike threat arrives during a difficult period for the Montreal-based airline. Transat continues to carry heavy debt and has not seen an annual profit since 2018. The holiday season normally helps revenue, so the timing adds more strain.
Aviation expert John Gradek said a strike could carry a huge cost. “This is the peak of the peak,” he said. “The planes are full and the fares are very high.”
The company also faces pressure from shareholder Pierre Karl Peladeau. Peladeau recently demanded a major board overhaul. He wants new leadership and a shift in strategy. He owns nearly 10 per cent of Transat and holds the second-largest stake. Peladeau quickly reacted to the strike notice and blamed the board for a “deplorable situation.” He also offered to mediate the dispute.
Pay Gap Fuels Tension
Transat said it offered pilots a 59 per cent salary increase over five years plus better working conditions. Small rejected that number. He said it came from “creative accounting.”
Pilots want improvements in pay, job security, scheduling, and overall quality of life. They said the current deal dates back to 2015 and no longer fits market standards.
The industry also faces a growing pilot shortage. Transat said it must match other airlines or risk losing more workers. Small said the airline already lost more than 180 pilots since the pandemic. Many left for competitors with better contracts.
Other carriers negotiated large raises in recent years. Air Canada pilots secured a 42 per cent increase over four years. WestJet pilots also gained a 24 per cent raise last year.
Air Transat pilots voted 99 per cent in favour of strike action. Almost every eligible pilot cast a ballot. The cooling-off period ends on December 10. Pilots may strike that day, and management may also choose a lockout.
