Air Canada prepares for a possible pilots' strike while US airlines negotiate with flight attendants.

Air Canada is set to cancel numerous flights in the upcoming days due to a looming pilot walkout.

The airline plans to start canceling flights under its Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge brands as early as Sunday, Sept. 15, gradually reducing its operations over a three-day span. Pilots could issue a 72-hour strike notice on Sunday after a 21-day "cooling off" period, enabling them to strike as soon as Wednesday, Sept. 18. The airline also has the option to lock pilots out within the same timeframe.

Air Canada is providing flexible travel waivers for travelers scheduled to fly from Sept. 15-23.

In a statement, Air Canada mentioned that discussions with the Air Line Pilots Association — representing about 5,200 pilots at the airline — are "approaching impasse" and indicated that a work stoppage is "increasingly probable."

"We recognize and regret the inconvenience this may cause our customers," the airline stated. "However, a managed shutdown is the only responsible option we have left."

"Air Canada remains optimistic about reaching an agreement with our pilots, provided ALPA adjusts its wage demands, which significantly exceed typical Canadian wage increases," the airline stated further.

The airline has accused the pilots' union of making unreasonable demands, a view reiterated in this week's statement. The most recent offer from the carrier includes a 30% raise for pilots over three years, with a 20% raise taking effect immediately, as reported by Bloomberg last week.

Air Canada Express flights, operated by third-party regional carriers Jazz and PAL Airlines, will continue to function normally during a strike, according to Air Canada.

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Passengers flying with Air Canada next week can proactively cancel or modify their trips. Alternatively, they can wait for the airline to cancel the flight in the event of a strike. Regardless, customers are entitled to a refund for any unused tickets.

It's important to note that under Canadian consumer protection laws, a strike is deemed beyond the airline's control. Therefore, if travelers do not cancel or change their plans, the airline is not liable for covering expenses like meals, accommodations, alternative flights, or other incidental costs.

In a statement released on Aug. 30, ALPA indicated that it is pursuing a labor contract comparable to those of competing airlines.

"Our goal is to reach an agreement with Air Canada to prevent a strike," said first officer Charlene Hudy, chair of Air Canada ALPA. "While we've made some progress during conciliation, management is pushing us closer to a strike by not addressing our critical needs for fair compensation, adequate retirement benefits, and improvements to quality of life at the negotiating table."

The union has yet to respond to TPG's request for further information.

Strikes among US airlines are still some time away.

In late August, United Airlines flight attendants voted decisively to authorize a strike as they intensify negotiations over their contract. This comes on the heels of similar strike actions being considered by flight attendants at Alaska Airlines and American Airlines.

American's cabin crews are currently voting on a tentative agreement with the airline, while Alaska flight attendants recently voted to reject their own tentative deal.

However, the likelihood of an actual strike at any of these airlines remains low in the short term. The federal Railway Labor Act imposes a stringent process for transportation worker actions, including several negotiation steps and pauses before a strike can be approved.

A strike authorization vote is a noteworthy action by airline workers, and there remains a possibility that negotiations could break down, leading to a walkout. However, for now, there are no immediate disruptions to operations in the U.S.

We will keep you updated on any travel disruptions, so be sure to stay connected with TPG for the latest information.