Air Canada Archives - National Times

31 Mar

Air Canada employee facing charges following alleged cannabis smuggling operation at Pearson

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaAir Canada, airport security, cannabis smuggling, Pearson Airport

Toronto (Rajeev Sharma): An Air Canada employee has been arrested and charged after authorities uncovered a sophisticated scheme to smuggle cannabis through Toronto Pearson International Airport. The investigation, led by the Peel Regional Police in collaboration with federal border agents, focused on the illegal movement of large quantities of the controlled substance within the airport's secure zones. Investigators allege that the staff member utilized their internal access and knowledge of airline logistics to bypass standard security protocols, facilitating the transport of illicit goods. The bust occurred after a series of intercepted shipments raised red flags with the Canada Border Services…

30 Mar

Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau to Retire Following French-Language Controversy

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaAir Canada, CEO, French, retirement, Rousseau

Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): Air Canada announced on Monday, March 30, 2026, that President and CEO Michael Rousseau will retire by the end of the third quarter of this year. The decision follows a week of intense national backlash after Rousseau released an English-only video message of condolence following the fatal crash of Air Canada Express Flight 8646 at New York's LaGuardia Airport on March 22. The controversy was further fueled by the fact that the flight originated in Montreal and one of the two pilots killed, Captain Antoine Forest, was a francophone from Quebec. Prime Minister Mark Carney, who had…

14 Jan

Ontario Court Orders Air Canada to Pay $15,000 to Passenger After 24-Hour Flight Delay

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaAir Canada, flight delay compensation, Ontario Superior Court, passenger rights, Rejean Landry

Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): More than three and a half years after an Ottawa man’s flight to Portugal was delayed by over 24 hours, the Ontario Superior Court has ordered Air Canada to pay Rejean Landry and his two adult children $15,000 in compensation. The ruling follows a small claims court decision over a year ago that had already sided with Landry, who represented himself. “It was just clearcut: There were too many planes, not enough employees, and it was their fault that the plane was late,” Landry said. “They pretty much never showed any argument to say otherwise. They just…

12 Jan

Air Canada Investigates Incident After Crew Member Trapped in Cargo Hold Before Takeoff

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaAir Canada, aviation safety, cargo hold incident, Toronto to Moncton flight

Toronto (Rajeev Sharma): An Air Canada ground crew member was accidentally locked inside the cargo hold of a flight traveling from Toronto to Moncton, New Brunswick, prior to departure. According to a statement provided to CTV News, the airline confirmed that the incident took place on December 13 aboard flight AC1502. An Air Canada spokesperson said the aircraft’s cargo doors were unintentionally closed while the crew member was still inside the hold. The situation was quickly identified, prompting the aircraft to return to the gate, where the doors were reopened. The employee was safely released and did not sustain any…

19 Aug

Air Canada and Flight Attendants Union Reach Mediated Settlement, Flights to Resume

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaAir Canada, Flight Attendants Union, Resume Flights, Settlement

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Air Canada has reached a mediated settlement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), bringing an end to two days of disruption that saw the union openly defy a federal back-to-work order. The airline confirmed Tuesday morning that flights will begin gradually resuming this afternoon. According to industry outlet Open Jaw, negotiations between the two sides restarted late Monday night and concluded in the early hours of Tuesday with a mediated agreement. “The suspension of our service is extremely difficult for our customers,” said Michael Rousseau, President and CEO of Air Canada. “We deeply regret and…

16 Aug

Canadians Stranded as Air Canada Strike Grounds Flights, Government Criticized for Lack of Action

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBusiness, Canada, TrendingAir Canada

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma):– Thousands of Canadians have been left stranded across the country and abroad as Air Canada’s flight attendants have launched a nationwide strike, grounding hundreds of flights and disrupting travel for over 130,000 passengers daily. The strike, organized by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), commenced after contract negotiations with Air Canada collapsed. Union leaders assert that flight attendants are demanding fair compensation for “groundwork” such as boarding and pre-flight assistance, which is currently unpaid. While Air Canada offered a 38% wage increase over four years, including 25% in the first year, CUPE argues that the proposal…

14 Aug

Air Canada Serves 72-Hour Lockout Notice to CUPE, Begins Wind-Down of Operations

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBusiness, Canada, TrendingAir Canada

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma) : Air Canada has issued a statutory 72-hour lockout notice to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge. The move follows CUPE’s notice of intent to strike as early as August 16. To provide passengers with certainty, the airline will begin a phased wind-down of most operations over the next three days and has requested government directed arbitration to resolve the impasse. Despite eight months of negotiations with federal conciliators, Air Canada says no tentative agreement could be reached, even after its August 11 proposal offering…