WestJet strike: Several flights cancelled at YVR after agreement reached

A tentative agreement that ended a multi-day strike involving WestJet airline mechanics was not reached in time to prevent further travel disruptions at Vancouver’s airport on Monday.

WestJet announced the tentative agreement with the airline’s unionized mechanics Sunday evening, hours after both sides returned to the bargaining table.

“We are not profiting from this outcome, but we will sleep better tonight knowing that further damage was avoided,” WestJet President Diederik Pen said in a statement.

But the airline also warned there would be “further disruption” over the coming weeks as operations return to normal.

These disruptions include several cancelled Canada Day flights out of Vancouver International Airport, which were announced Sunday morning hours before the strike was called off.

Some of the destinations of the affected flights include Los Cabos, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Toronto, Edmonton and Calgary.

WestJet cancelled 78 scheduled flights across the country on Monday and three more on Tuesday. The airline has cancelled 832 flights in total since announcing the strike on Thursday.

In a news release, the Fraternal Association of Aircraft Mechanics said “substantial improvements” were achieved in the latest round of negotiations for the workers’ five-year tentative agreement, which will soon be put to a ratification vote.

“We believe this outcome would not have been possible without the strike, but we regret the disruption and inconvenience it caused to travellers during the Canada Day holiday period,” the union said in its statement.

“We are pleased that the strike only lasted 48 hours and that service can now return to normal.”