Air Transat averts pilot strike with tentative deal
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Article contentMONTREAL — Transat A.T. Inc. says it steered clear of a strike after reaching a tentative deal with its pilots on Tuesday evening.Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentThe travel company, which owns leisure airline Air Transat, had been cancelling flights and winding down operations ahead of the possible work stoppage, affecting thousands of travellers.Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentNeither the company nor the union representing some 750 Air Transat pilots released details of the tentative agreement.Article contentAnnick Guerard, president and CEO of Transat, said the airline “greatly preferred” to avoid the threat of a strike.Article contentArticle content“We are aware that this period has created significant uncertainty, and we extend our sincerest apologies to our customers whose flights were disrupted in recent days,” she said in a statement on Tuesday evening.Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article content“Our priority now is to quickly restore our operations and deliver on our commitment to provide service that meets our standards.”Article contentThe Air Line Pilots Association was aiming for a new contract that boosts wages, job security and quality of life following big gains for aviators at Air Canada and WestJet over the past two years.Article contentCapt. Bradley Small, chair of the Air Transat ALPA Master Executive Council, said the current pilot contract lags behind industry standards in Canada and North America.Article content“We believe this new agreement meets the needs of today’s profession, consistent with collective agreements other ALPA-represented pilot groups are signing with their employers,” Small said in a statement.Article contentUnion members are expected to vote on the agreement in the coming days.Article contentTransat’s flight schedule was severely disrupted this week after it began to cancel flights in anticipation of a labour standoff.Article contentArticle contentThe showdown came at a particularly fraught time for Transat as it struggles to manage a large debt load, fend off a coup attempt from an activist investor and turn an annual profit for the first time since 2018.Article contentLast week, media mogul Pierre Karl Peladeau, who owns 9.5 per cent of Transat — its second-biggest shareholder — demanded a board shakeup and strategic overhaul.Article contentThe proposal would see the head of telecommunications giant Quebecor Inc.’s right-hand man there replace Transat chairwoman Susan Kudzman, with Peladeau also gaining a seat at the table.Article contentBy Tuesday afternoon, Transat had cancelled more than a dozen flights for that day and the following one.Article contentThe cancelled trips included sun destinations in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Peru and Spain as well as London and Paris. All 18 flights were slated to either take off or land in Toronto or Montreal.Article contentAir Transat said it had arranged seven extra flights Monday and Tuesday to ferry some passengers back early from their vacations.Article contentThe carrier’s active fleet of nearly 40 planes carries tens of thousands of passengers on more than 500 flights each week.Article contentThe Air Line Pilots Association issued a 72-hour strike notice on Sunday.Article contentTransat responded that cancellations would ramp up ahead of a potential strike or lockout, which could have kicked off as early as 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday.Article contentThis report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2025.Article contentCompanies in this story: (TSX:TRZ)Article contentTrending Posthaste: A market phenomenon not seen in 50 years is raising red flags at the world's central bank News David Rosenberg: 10 reasons why we're now bullish on the Canadian dollar for the first time in many years News Toronto, Vancouver home prices to fall in 2026 as rest of Canada ploughs ahead, Royal LePage says News Budget watchdog regrets calling Canada's fiscal position 'stupefying' Economy Posthaste: China is gaining ground in a crucial power struggle most people don't know exists News Share this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Posthaste: A market phenomenon not seen in 50 years is raising red flags at the world's central bank News David Rosenberg: 10 reasons why we're now bullish on the Canadian dollar for the first time in many years News Toronto, Vancouver home prices to fall in 2026 as rest of Canada ploughs ahead, Royal LePage says News Budget watchdog regrets calling Canada's fiscal position 'stupefying' Economy Posthaste: China is gaining ground in a crucial power struggle most people don't know exists News