The labour strife follows strikes at Air Canada and WestJet in recent years.
Flight attendants of Jazz Aviation, a key operator of many Air Canada Express flights, have voted to authorise a strike should contract negotiations further break down.
The Canadian Flight Attendant Union (CFAU) says 97% of its more than 1,000 eligible members cast votes – with 99% voting in favour.
It is unclear how soon the union may seek to go on strike, if at all.
The sides began negotiations in November 2025 before the workers’ contract expired at the end of the year. The parties have since enlisted the help of a mediator but “continue to be unable to reach an agreement on the most critical issues”, CFAU says.
Jazz could not immediately be reached for comment.
The strike threat follows two other recent industrial actions at Canadian carriers.
Flight attendants at Air Canada represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) went on strike for several days in August 2025, drastically impacting flights across the country.
And more recently, in August 2026, some 4,400 WestJet cabin crew also represented by CUPE walked off the job for one day before securing a contract.
In both cases, as with some unions in the US, flight attendants were seeking compensation for boarding time. Typically, flight attendant hours are calculated from when the boarding door closes until when it opens again. Some airlines have argued that their hourly pay rates are sufficiently high to account for that time.
“Safety does not begin at take-off, nor does it end at landing,” the union said ahead of the vote. “It begins with fair working conditions, proper rest and respect for the flight attendants who are responsible for the safety and care of passengers every day. The Union remains committed to reaching a negotiated agreement at the bargaining table.”
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