Air Canada flight attendants have voted in favour of strike action. Here’s how that could affect your travel plans.

CUPE Airline Division President Wesley Lesosky explains some of the union's demands and discusses next steps if an agreement can't be reached by Aug. 16.

Air Canada flight attendants have voted in favour of strike action that could allow them to walk off the job as early as this month.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents over 10,000 flight attendants, said in a statement that its members voted 99.7 per cent in favour, adding it could give a 72-hour strike notice as early as Aug. 16.

“The company would rather drag their feet than negotiate on the things that matter to our members,” said Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada Component of CUPE in a press release on Tuesday. “Now, flight attendants have had a chance to weigh in and tell the company it’s time to get serious about negotiating.”

The union has been asking for higher wages and compensation for all the time that flight attendants work.

“The vote reflects the deep frustration of flight attendants after months of negotiations without result, due to the airline’s refusal to fairly negotiate on key issues like unpaid work, work rules, and poverty-level wages,” the statement said.

‘Always have a backup plan’

The vote has raised concerns about possible delays or cancellations, and travel experts are advising Canadians to be “proactive” and have a backup plan.

“My biggest tip for travellers … be as proactive as possible,” Jennifer Weatherhead, a Toronto-based travel expert and founder of travelandstyle.ca, said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca during her trip to Panglao Island in the Philippines. “Flexibility is the best currency when it comes to travel in general.”

Weatherhead advises passengers to start planning, such as booking a flight, rental car and hotel that can be cancelled at the last minute.

“I would always have a backup plan when you hear of these things potentially happening,” she said. “Try to book something that you could cancel, so that way, if the strike doesn’t happen, then you can just cancel that other flight and stick with your original one.”

It’s also worth paying extra for a refundable ticket, she added.

“I know it’s a bit more money upfront, but if you book one of the lowest fare tickets, chances are you’re not going to be able to make any changes without a fee.”

The cheapest airfares may not have refunds, may not allow passengers to pick their seats in advance and may require them to pay for carry-on luggage, she added.

Weatherhead said travellers should consider switching their dates of travel once they hear of a potential disruption, and to review their travel insurance to see if a disruption like a strike is covered.

Airlines sometimes alert customers about a disruption and allow them to change their flight at no extra charge, Weatherhead said.

“I would jump on that as soon as possible because that will give you the best options and you won’t be stuck scrambling at the last minute,” she said.

What if your flight is cancelled?

Gabor Lukacs, president of the non-profit advocacy group Air Passenger Rights, said options that require more expenses, such as buying refundable tickets on a different airline as a backup, may work for those who can afford it and whose travel is “time sensitive.” But Lukacs added that the threat of a strike shouldn’t affect passengers.

“I would urge passengers to not buy into the idea that the strike will happen, not to make adjustments to their plans, just to wait until the airline cancels your flight and then deal with it,” Lukacs said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca from Halifax on Thursday.

He added that Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) apply once the airline cancels the flight.

“If you cancel the flight, then you are at the airline’s mercy,” he said.

It may be best to stick to your travel plans, even if the airline offers to change a flight for free, Lukacs added, because the airline will not reimburse you for any expenses you incur when you pre-emptively adjust your flight plans or travel plans.

For cancellations that are within the airline’s control, Lukacs said the airline is responsible for meals, accommodation and a lump sum compensation up to $1,000 per passenger based on the length of the delay.

Once the strike officially happens, the airline doesn’t owe passengers any lump sum compensation under the APPR, although passengers travelling internationally may seek reimbursement for their expenses under the Montreal Convention, he said.

Similar rules apply if a flight is delayed by at least three hours, he added.

Passengers have rights in certain cases, which are considered outside of a carrier’s control under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations, such as a labour disruption or strike.

If a strike by airline staff, for instance, causes flight delays of at least three hours and cancellations, the airline must offer alternate travel arrangements or a refund. In cases where flights are cancelled due to a strike, the airline must rebook the affected passenger on another flight for free, including on a higher class if lower class seats are unavailable, Lukacs said.

The airline also has to buy the affected passenger a ticket on a competitor airline if it can’t rebook the individual on one of its flights or a partner airline leaving within 48 hours of the original departure time, he added.