Air Canada returns to skies after strike

Good news for Air Canada passengers as the strike, which kept planes out of the skies, has come to an end. Travellers flying from Canada to Johannesburg can breathe a small sigh of relief. While Air Canada isn’t currently operating direct flights to South Africa, the first half of the journey is back on track.

Through its Star Alliance partners, the airline connects passengers to Johannesburg with onward flights available via Lufthansa, United Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines. This means Canadian travellers can still book through Air Canada and complete their trip to Johannesburg seamlessly within the Star Alliance network.

On Saturday, roughly 1000 attendants went on strike, citing low pay and requesting compensation for unpaid ground work, including during boarding.

The airline announced on Tuesday that it has reached a tentative deal with the union representing flight attendants, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). Although the details about the deal have not been disclosed, the airline said it would not comment on the terms of the agreed deal until it had been ratified.

Following the talks, CUPE announced that the unpaid work is over and called the negotiations a historic fight for the industry.

"Flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge have reached a tentative agreement, achieving transformational change for our industry after a historic fight to affirm our Charter rights. Unpaid work is over. We have reclaimed our voice and our power," CUPE said in a statement posted on its site. 

Although flights resumed late Saturday, the airline has asked its customers to check their flight updates before heading to the airport. Customers can check the status of their flights here. 

It has also announced that full operation might take several days. 

" Our flights will restart this evening with a gradual ramp-up over the coming days. While the restart of our operations will begin immediately, we expect it will take several days before our operations return to normal. Please do not head to the airport unless you have confirmed the status of your flight," the airline wrote on the website.