After a disruptive four-day strike, Air Canada has extended an olive branch to stranded passengers by expanding its goodwill policy to cover expenses including accommodation, meals, and transportation expenses (even flights on other airlines). The policy is welcome…and appropriate.
Air Canada Will Cover Out-Of-Pocket Expenses After Strike Disruptions
Air Canada updated its policy to allow claims for “reasonable” out-of-pocket expenses for passengers scheduled to fly between August 15 and August 23, 2025. That includes costs for hotels, meals, ground transportation, and even alternate flights on other carriers when Air Canada was not able to assist in the rebooking. All expenses must be supported by receipts and submitted via the airline’s customer relations portal (with an expected processing timeline of up to six weeks).
Mark Nasr, Air Canada’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, framed the policy shift as part of the airline’s operational recovery:
“Air Canada’s 40,000 coworkers, with their exceptional commitment and expertise, have allowed us to restore operations ahead of plan. We now expect to be operating very close to our normal schedule tomorrow. We deeply apologize to all customers whose travel plans were disrupted, and we’re committed to making things right for all customers — particularly those who were stranded during their trip. Earlier this week, we put in place a special commitment to reimburse out-of-pocket transportation costs, including on other airlines, rail, ground or ferries. Today, we are taking another step forward, delivering with our policies to make things right. This updated plan includes reimbursement for reasonable accommodation, meals, necessary transportation and other costs.”
Air Canada’s operations are back on track:
Air Canada Is Doing The Right Thing
I applaud Air Canada for this generous recovery, even while also noting it should be a given when something like a strike happens (regardless of whether the airline or flight attendants share more blame)…it’s the baseline care customers should expect during industrial action. Even so, airlines do not always do what they should…look at Air Canada during the pandemic, when it initially refused refunds on flights it cancelled (mind-boggling). I called out Air Canada for its unethical policy then (which was only reversed after pressure from US regulators) so it is only fair I laud Air Canada for this…better than trying to claim it was a force majeure event.
CONCLUSION
Air Canada’s new coverage policy may not be earth-shattering, but for those stranded by the strike, it’s a lifeline and a reminder that brands are only as strong as how they treat their customers when things go sideways. I’m glad to see Air Canada recover and we’ll explore in the next few days what the new labor contract might look like (i.e., was the strike necessary in the first place).
image: Air Canada
All businesses ought to be touchy-feely with their customers .
Great, less company for the company to give to the ungrateful employees.
May they all get fired when that wasteland becomes our 51st state.
And no, I personally don’t want those people as part of our country. I say give them CA, OR and WA too.