Travel plan fears surge amid PSAC strike, WestJet pilot strike talks

A Canada-wide strike of federal public servants will likely cause delays at the passport office, and with WestJet pilots potentially striking, some travellers are worrying their summer travel plans will be disrupted.

Marcella Grainger, an oil and gas sector employee in Calgary, is planning a trip and has to get her passport renewed, but now says she’s in a bind.

Talking to CityNews outside the Harry Hayes Building, Grainger expressed her concerns.

“I have put in my application for a passport renewal, but with all that’s going on, I am pretty sure I have to cancel my plans,” she said.

“I think I support them in their cause, but I don’t know. I need my passport. I think it’s a little conflict. I wish them all the best, and I hope they can get back to work soon and everything can get back to normal.”

With the winter travel chaos still fresh in people’s minds, there have been Canadians that have hesitated to make travel plans this summer.

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• ‘We are very, very sorry’: Canada’s airlines, airports apologize for holiday travel mess

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Lesley Keyter, CEO of The Travel Lady Agency, says that post-pandemic, there has a shortage of skilled workers, not only in the aviation industry but overall.

She fears if this current federal strike and the WestJet pilot issue are not dealt with seriously and urgently, this will just exacerbate the problem.

“It’s something that I look at, and I think, ‘Goodness me, where have all the people gone?’ We have a shortage of skilled people,” Keyter said.

“Just looking at what some of the WestJet pilots say is that they are going south. They are going down into the states, where they can get more money and better contracts.”

Pilots protest at WestJet headquarters in Calgary on Friday, March 31, 2023. (Nick Blakeney, CityNews image)

Also protesting for better pay, Alex Creamer, the chairperson of the Calgary area council of Public Servants Alliance of Canada (PSAC), says say they understand service disruptions will cause problems for travellers, but they are protesting for their rights and will continue to strike for as long as it takes.

“We do understand that disruptions are a big part of this strike. And it’s unfortunate, and we apologize to Calgarians if that’s the case,” he told CityNews.

“But the biggest thing about that is talk to your MPs. Talk to your politicians. Tell them that you want them at the table, and you want the Treasury Board to come back and give us a fair deal.”

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• WestJet pilots vote in favour of strike mandate, want better pay and job protection

• What a possible WestJet strike could mean for May long travel plans

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In addition, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) says a backlog of complaints, which range from lost luggage to compensation for cancelled flights, sits at roughly 45,000. This amounts to a processing time of 18 months per case on average.

This is more than triple the number from 2022 from the travel issues during the summer and winter holidays.

Employees at the regulator are among the members of PSAC.

While the federal workers continue their protest and WestJet pilots stand by their demands, Keyter says future passengers should be prepared for a turbulent ride ahead.

“Well, hopefully, we’ll have this dealt with by the time summer comes. But definitely, it’s put a bit of a damper on the whole May long weekend travel plans,” she said.

“If these issues are not resolved soon, then travellers should just be prepared for the worst.”

The CTA says its dispute resolution activities may be subject to delays.

Meanwhile, regulatory activities, like the issuing of air licences and rulings on air, rail and marine issues, will continue, though with possible disruptions.

-With files from The Canadian Press