TIABC Voice of Tourism Newsletter – September 6, 2024

On Labour Day, our entire cul-de-sac gathered for pizza and beverages, and to catch up on comings and goings over the summer. As we were discussing vacation memories and pending trips, one of my neighbours (Rob), who serves as a firefighter, was bummed that his bucket-list holiday to Japan later this month might be in jeopardy due to the looming Air Canada (AC) pilots’ strike.

One genius in our group suggested that Rob rebook on a different airline or find an alternate date. However, for firefighters and others in similar roles, it’s not that simple when holidays are bid for and approved up to a year in advance for specific days or weeks…never mind the cost of a last-minute, long-haul flight overseas. To be fair, Air Canada did offer to change his flight for free, but again, he’s in a holding pattern with no clear direction for now.

Although negotiations generally involve many issues to be worked through as part of a new collective agreement, the main stumbling block in the labour dispute between Air Canada and its pilots is wages, according to media reports. As of today, it appears the two sides remain skies apart and unless a deal is reached within the next week or so, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) will be in a position to issue 72-hour strike notice on September 15th with AC pilots officially off the job on September 18th.

Long-haul flights will be grounded before the pickets go up to avoid pilots, planes, and passengers like my neighbour being stranded in a far-flung destination…although some travellers might be stuck regardless. In fact, some 120,000 passengers a day that are scheduled to board an AC flight will either be forced to cancel their trips, try to find seats on another carrier, or rebook with Air Canada at a later date to be determined.

This entire scenario sounds eerily familiar. It was only two weeks ago that TIABC was advocating to the Federal Government and several BC members of the federal Liberal caucus to put an immediate end to the rail dispute, which even in the short time of the lock-out, had major repercussions on all sectors including tourism.

As with the rail dispute, TIABC is not taking sides but is again urging immediate action by the feds on behalf of the tourism industry, visitors, residents, and other segments of society. Air Canada is a vital link to many BC communities with up to 150 arrivals and departures daily, carrying upwards of 30,000 passengers to and from the province, across Canada and around the world. It goes without saying that any disruption to service…even just 24 hours…would wreak havoc in BC and the other nine provinces and three territories.

Because you know how critical this situation is, take a moment to access TIABC’s social media channels before the day is out and repost our messaging to decision-makers in Ottawa, or conversely, create your own post urging the feds to intervene (if necessary) to ensure a work stoppage does not occur and planes are not grounded. BC’s visitor economy can ill afford another transportation breakdown during a peak time when we’re still welcoming international and domestic guests for conventions, sporting and cultural events, cruise, guided touring, to visit with friends and family, and any number of other activities in the last stages of summer.

I am grateful to have some flexibility in my schedule to shift my holidays to more convenient dates. Fortuitously, I postponed my vacation to Europe next week (for other reasons) before I learned of the possibility of a strike. Regardless, for the sake of BC’s tourism industry and my firefighter neighbour, I’m keeping my fingers crossed and remain hopeful that a major disruption to air travel will be averted and Air Canada will continue to fly the flag.

Walt Judas
CEO, TIABC