Canada’s WestJet cancels 235 flights over strike

Canada’s WestJet Airlines said it was forced to cancel 235 flights on Saturday after a surprise strike by its mechanics, despite government intervention seeking to prevent holiday weekend travel disruptions.

The cancellations by the country’s second-largest carrier are in addition to the 150 flights scrapped on Friday and 25 others Thursday.

More than 55,000 passengers nationwide and internationally have been impacted by the various cancellations ahead of Monday’s Canada Day holiday, WestJet estimated in a statement.

“This situation is devastating,” WestJet’s president Diederik Pen said in a statement, placing the blame squarely on Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, which called the work stoppage.

The airline said it would be forced to cancel additional flights in order to maintain stability across its remaining operations “until the union’s irrational strike action is rescinded, or immediate intervention is received.”

The threat of a walk-off appeared to have been averted Thursday when the Canadian government ordered binding arbitration to settle a contractual dispute over wages and working conditions.

But arguing the decision did not prohibit a strike, the mechanics’ union decided to go ahead on Friday evening, insisting “the airline’s unwillingness to negotiate with the union made the strike inevitable.”

Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan was due to meet with the parties Saturday afternoon in an effort put them on a path to resolving the dispute.

WestJet flies 198 commercial aircraft to more than 100 destinations in nearly 30 countries.