Air Transat pilots—roughly 700 professionals represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA)—have approved a strike‑authorization vote by a resounding 99%, paving the way for the airline’s first potential strike in its 38‑year history. The turnout was 98%.
The vote, conducted from 07NOV to 02DEC, gives union leaders the authority to call a walkout if a new contract is not finalized by 10DEC. However, the union will have to give 72 hours' notice before calling a strike.
The results were announced by the Air Transat Master Executive Council.
ALPA opened a strike centre near Montréal‑Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport this morning, where pilots are speaking with media. The centre will serve as a hub for operations during a potential strike, including call‑centre support, flight and pilot tracking, and coordination of volunteers and equipment.
Negotiations began in January 2025, but pilots expressed frustration with what ALPA described as “slow” counter‑proposals from management. In September, they filed a formal Notice of Dispute with the federal government. Conciliation concluded on 18NOV, and a 21‑day cooling-off period runs until 10DEC, after which a strike could be called or management could impose a lockout.
“Our pilots have carried this airline through a decade of challenges, often at the expense of their own quality of life,” said Capt. Bradley Small, Chair of the Air Transat Master Executive Council, in early November when the pilot leaders approved a strike-authorization ballot. “The result is that our members are still stuck with outdated working conditions and some of the weakest benefits in the industry.”
“We lag behind our peers in virtually every aspect of pay, benefits, and job security,” he added. “This is not about special treatment. It’s about catching up to 2025. It’s time to modernize the contract.”
While the vote does not guarantee a strike, it adds uncertainty to one of Air Transat’s busiest travel periods. A walkout could have significant financial implications, as the airline sells numerous hotel‑air packages and has already paid partner hotels for booked stays.
Tensions at the airline are also driving a renewed power play by media mogul Pierre Karl Péladeau. Through his investment firm, Financière Outremont, he accused the current board of a “consistent track record of operational and financial underperformance, resulting in shareholder‑value destruction and a broken balance sheet.” Open Jaw reported on this power play grab yesterday.
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing more than 80,000 pilots at 43 airlines in the US and Canada.
