THUNDER BAY -- Air Canada's flight attendants have walked off the job and the impact is already being felt in Thunder Bay.
The airline has cancelled all three of its flights to Toronto on Saturday out of Thunder Bay Airport, and all three flights scheduled to arrive in the city have also been axed.
More than 10,000 flight attendants are on strike, which began just before 1 a.m. on Saturday. Following the Canadian Union of Public Employees issuing a 72-hour strike notice to the airline, Air Canada subsequently issued a 72-hour lockout notice, which began at 1:30 a.m., 32 minutes after the strike began.
Union officials say they had no choice, accusing Air Canada negotiators of anticipating government intervention and failing to bargain in good faith.
The airline has announced all Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights will be cancelled during the work stoppage, affecting up to 130,000 passengers per day.
Thunder Bay has limited options for flights into and out of the city, at least when it comes to major carriers. Porter flies year-round to Toronto and Ottawa, with several daily flights, and WestJet operates fights to Winnipeg and Calgary. Flair Airlines, a seasonal operator in the city, is another summer option.
Air Canada is urging passengers not to go the the airport unless they have a confirmed ticket on another airline. Customers who are due to travel soon, but whose flights have not yet been cancelled, Air Canada has put a policy in place allowing them to either rebook or obtain a credit for future travel.
