WestJet’s ongoing strike is expected to cost the airline between $8 million and $10 million daily, according to John Gradek, a McGill University lecturer specializing in supply networks and aviation management. The labour action, involving WestJet flight attendants, highlights longstanding disputes over compensation practices dating back to significant layoffs at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
WestJet currently employs a "credit hour" pay system for cabin crew, which covers flight times, ground duties, delays, and other tasks under a single hourly rate. The company states this approach results in a higher combined rate ranging from $28.88 to $53.61 per credit hour. For full-time workloads of 80 credit hours per month, annual compensation falls between approximately $27,700 and $51,500. Although similar compensation structures persist across many airlines, adjustments are emerging: Delta Air Lines in 2022 became the first North American carrier to introduce separate ground duty pay for flight attendants, with American Airlines and Alaska Airlines subsequently adopting board-related pay at half the regular rate.
Gradek noted that WestJet’s credit hour system tends to favor senior flight attendants, leaving junior staff—who often fly multiple flights per day—at a financial disadvantage. “The junior flight attendants who work three or four flights a day don’t get any benefits in that at all. They’re in trouble,” he said.
The financial impact on WestJet during the strike includes covering costs for rebooking passengers on competitor airlines, typically at premium prices. Despite these losses, WestJet declined a federal government loan offer of up to $150 million in June intended to mitigate rising fuel expenses, signaling relative financial stability.
Regarding possible government intervention, Gradek suggested that federal mechanisms such as Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, which authorizes back-to-work orders, have diminished effectiveness. He referenced the precedent of Air Canada flight attendants defying a similar order last summer issued by Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu, which had been intended to end a strike and mandate arbitration.
Minister Hajdu expressed disappointment in a recent statement that no agreement was reached to prevent the WestJet disruption but did not clarify whether further government action was planned.
The strike has created widespread travel disruption. Passengers stranded at airports have voiced frustrations, with some, like 25-year-old Meshach Baba, experiencing multiple flight cancellations and forced to seek alternate airlines mid-trip. Baba’s travel difficulties followed a wedding trip to the Philippines and subsequent canceled WestJet flights to Orlando, Florida, which forced him to rebook on Delta Air Lines.
Other Canadian carriers have reported a surge in bookings as travelers seek alternatives during the strike. Porter Airlines confirmed increased demand and is evaluating additional capacity, while Air Canada acknowledged near-full flights with limited ability to add seats. The latter also noted efforts to assist displaced WestJet passengers, though cautioned that the current summer peak period and upcoming August long weekend represent the busiest travel time of the year.
Gradek concluded that frequent labour disputes in the airline sector disrupt both travelers and the economy, emphasizing the need for a fundamental rethinking of industry labour relations going forward.