Maritimers consider rebooking flights ahead of potential Air Canada strike

Jim Deleskie of Sydney, N.S., frequently flies between Cape Breton and Miami for work. On Wednesday, he was in the Sunshine State and said with family and co-workers expected to arrive in the coming weeks, he is keeping a close eye on Air Canada's potential pilot strike.

"My mother is planning to come down here in the next 60 days, and that would mess her up,” Deleskie told CTV Atlantic.

Deleskie said his mother, who is in her 70s, is considering rebooking her flights but added that too could come with complications.

"My mom was thinking about doing a cruise,” Deleskie said. “So she's going to lose her cruise if she doesn't get here on time. She'll have to look at…does she need to leave early? Should she be following another path? Should she be flying out of Halifax and getting on an American carrier?"

On Wednesday, the chambers of commerce of Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John presented a joint letter to the federal government expressing their concern about the pending strike.

They said the cancellations of flights would be devastating for smaller, regional airports in those cities and their economies.

"We're seeking some committed action from the federal government,” said Morgan Peters, Fredericton Chamber of Commerce CEO. "Airports like ours, Air Canada really is the dominant air carrier there. We're really concerned about the hard-earned recovery we've had and the economic momentum we've seen post-pandemic. That's really going to be put in jeopardy by any kind of work impasse."

In an email to CTV Atlantic on Wednesday, Air Canada confirmed its express carriers – Jazz, along with PAL Airlines - are not involved in the negotiations with the Airline Pilots Association, and their flights will continue to operate normally.

Deleskie said work colleagues have, in some cases, had major travel time added when they had to switch their flights last minute.

"So they went out later that night on a different airline, and it made three stops,” Deleskie said. “So, four-and-a-half or five hours became a 48-hour trip for them."

A total shutdown of Air Canada flights could start Sept. 17 if there is no resolution to the looming strike.