Luxury hospitality company Four Seasons is wowing travelers with a brand-new around-the-world private jet trip from California back to Canada, touching on three different continents.
16.09.2024 - 13:41 / thepointsguy.com / Air Canada / Justin Trudeau
Air Canada and its pilots union reached an eleventh-hour deal on Saturday night that averted a strike at Canada's largest airline.
Pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), were expected to issue a 72-hour strike notice on Sunday that could have grounded the airline as soon as Sept. 18. Air Canada was prepared to begin canceling flights on Sunday as it wound down its mainline and Air Canada Rouge operation.
The four-year tentative agreement between Air Canada and ALPA includes roughly C$1.9 billion ($1.4 billion) in wage increases, work rule improvements, and retirement benefits for pilots over its term, the union said.
"After several consecutive weeks of intense round-the-clock negotiations, progress was made on several key issues including compensation, retirement, and work rules," said Charlene Hudy, chair of the master executive council at the Air Canada chapter of ALPA, in a statement. "This agreement, if ratified by the pilot group, would officially put an end to our outdated and stale decade-old, ten-year framework."
Air Canada said in a statement that the pact "recognizes the contributions and professionalism" of the carrier's pilots, and provides "a framework for the future growth of the airline."
The deal is subject to a ratification vote by Air Canada's more than 5,400 pilots, and the airline's board of directors.
On Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would not block a strike by pilots at Air Canada.
"Every time there's a strike, people say 'Oh, you'll get the government to come in and fix it' — we're not going to do that," Reuters reported he said. "We believe in collective bargaining, and we're going to keep pushing people to do it."
A strike at Air Canada would have affected travelers well beyond Canada's borders. The carrier and its partner United Airlines are scheduled to fly nearly 57% of all seats between the U.S. and Canada in September, Cirium Diio schedules show. And many American travelers connect over Air Canada's Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver hubs on longer trips to Asia or Europe.
Air Canada will allow travelers who changed their travel plans to avoid the potential strike can change back to their original itinerary at no cost if space is available, the airline said.
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Luxury hospitality company Four Seasons is wowing travelers with a brand-new around-the-world private jet trip from California back to Canada, touching on three different continents.
To encourage travelers to Japan to get off the beaten path, delve deeper into the country’s cultural heritage, and venture beyond the popular tourist destinations, Japan Airlines is offering complimentary domestic flights all across the archipelago.
While Tokyo’s modern architecture, neon lights, Michelin-starred restaurants, and world-class museums are a huge draw for international visitors, they’re far from the only things to see and do in Japan. From the champagne powder of Niseko’s ski slopes to the UNESCO World Heritage temples of Kyoto, it’s well worth getting outside the nation’s capital city. And thanks to a new promotion, travelers can now see more of the country for less.
Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. The potential strike by pilots for Air Canada was averted when the two sides reached a tentative agreement over the weekend.
A potentially crippling strike has been averted. Management at Air Canada, the country’s largest airline, has averted a strike by reaching a tentative agreement with its pilots.
Japan Airlines has rolled out complimentary domestic flights for international passengers, making it easier to travel to the country’s diverse prefectures.
To celebrate the tentative agreement between Air Canada and its pilots, Air Canada is offering 25% off new bookings on all routes. It's also awarding 2,500 bonus Air Canada Aeroplan points for new bookings. No registration or promotional code is required.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Minreet Kaur. It has been edited for length and clarity.
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