A crippling three-day strike that grounded Canada's largest airline has ended after Air Canada and the union representing its 10,000 flight attendants reached a tentative agreement on Tuesday, August 19. The deal paves the way for the gradual resumption of operations, bringing relief to hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded by the widespread disruption.

The strike, which began on August 16, caused significant travel chaos across the country and internationally. Air Canada was forced to cancel over 700 flights daily, with the total number of canceled flights reaching approximately 2,500 over the course of the job action. More than 500,000 passengers had their travel plans upended by the dispute.

At the heart of the conflict were key issues of wages and unpaid labor. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents the flight attendants, argued that its members were not compensated for crucial work performed on the ground before takeoff and after landing. The union framed the negotiations as a fight for a "shift towards paid work" and increased rights for its members.

During the tense negotiations, Air Canada tabled an offer it described as a 38% increase in total compensation over four years. However, CUPE countered that this figure was misleading and only amounted to a 17.2% wage boost over the same period, failing to adequately address the core demands.

The job action escalated despite intervention from the federal government. The Canadian Industrial Relations Board declared the strike unlawful and issued an order for the flight attendants to return to their duties by a specified deadline. In a show of resolve, the union members defied the federal order, continuing their picket lines until the tentative agreement was secured.

CUPE hailed the agreement as a "historic win" for its members. While details of the tentative deal have not been made public pending a ratification vote, it was enough to end the standoff.

Air Canada announced it would begin to gradually restart operations on Tuesday evening, but cautioned that a full restoration of its schedule could take between seven and 10 days. The airline confirmed that passengers whose flights were cancelled are eligible for a full refund.