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WestJet Strike Countdown: What to Do If You're Flying This Long Weekend

  Published July 31, 2026  |  Canadian Money Brief If you've got a WestJet flight booked for this weekend, here's the situation in one line: a strike or a lockout could ground the airline's cabin crew as early as Saturday, August 1 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time / Sunday, August 2 at 12:01 a.m. MT — right at the start of the busy August long weekend. Nothing has happened yet. WestJet and the union representing its roughly 4,400 flight attendants, CUPE Local 8125, are both still at the table. But both sides have now filed the legal paperwork that makes a work stoppage possible within days, so this is the moment to actually check your booking rather than hope it sorts itself out. HOW WE GOT HERE Flight attendants voted 99.4% in favour of a strike mandate back on July 15. On July 30, the union issued a 72-hour strike notice over wages and unpaid ground work — CUPE says the average flight attendant does about 35 hours a month of unpaid boarding, security, and delay-related work...

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WestJet Mechanics Strike: Over 150 Flights Cancelled Ahead of Long Weekend

In an unexpected turn of events, WestJet mechanics have gone on strike, leading to the cancellation of at least 150 flights starting this Saturday. The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) initiated the strike due to the airline’s “unwillingness to negotiate with the union,” making the strike inevitable. This move followed a federal government order for binding arbitration after two weeks of turbulent discussions with the union.

Calgary-based WestJet expressed extreme outrage at the mechanics’ actions and vowed to hold AMFA accountable for the stress and costs incurred. Last year, WestJet narrowly averted a strike during the May long weekend, but this time, over 20,000 travelers will be impacted by the cancellations.

As the Canada Day long weekend approaches, passengers are left wondering about their travel plans, while the airline grapples with the unexpected labor disruption.

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