WestJet grounded its fleet overnight after flight attendants walked off the job, cancelling all WestJet-operated flights except those flown by its regional affiliate, WestJet Encore.
The airline, which is Canada's second-largest, flies on average 458 daily flights, including two-thirds of those from Calgary International Airport (YYC), according to schedule data from an aviation analytics firm.
WestJet is a close partner of Delta Air Lines and serves 27 destinations in the U.S., with Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) being its largest American gateways by departures.
The disagreement between WestJet and its flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), is over pay, specifically the payment for time spent on the ground with the door open.
Few flight attendants are paid for this time, and airline rivals such as Air Canada and Delta have begun paying their cabin crew members for boarding time, with Delta even offering half their hourly rate.
WestJet has offered the union an "industry-leading, transformative agreement," but it remains unclear whether this will be enough to resolve the dispute.
Hundreds of WestJet flights have been canceled, leaving many passengers stranded, and the airline is allowing all travelers with flights booked through Aug. 4 to make a one-time flight change or cancellation with no fee.
