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WestJet responds to union's 72-hour strike notification and issues lockout notification
WestJet today responded to a 72-hour strike notification from the union that represents WestJet Cabin Crew by issuing a lockout notice. These notices do not immediately impact operations or mean that a labour disruption will occur. WestJet and CUPE are still actively negotiating to reach an agreement, avoiding impact to our guests.
"The decision to issue a lockout notice, in response to the actions taken by the union, was not one that was made lightly. We sincerely regret the inconvenience and uncertainty this continues to cause for our guests," said Alexis von Hoensbroech, Chief Executive Officer of the WestJet Group. "We greatly value the work and contributions of our Cabin Crew, and it is our responsibility to ensure the integrity of our network and to minimize the risk of stranding our guests, crew and aircraft. Our commitment remains at the bargaining table, where we will continue to work around the clock to come to an agreement that provides value and meaningful improvements for our Cabin Crew and is sustainable for our company."
If an agreement is not reached, a work stoppage could occur as early as Aug. 2 at 00:01 MT. In the coming days, WestJet will take all necessary actions to manage the potential impacts as much as possible, including:
Managing changes and cancellations, to ensure the ability to communicate with guests in advance of changes.
Continue to offer Flexible Change/Cancel policies for those guests with travel bookings between July 30, 2026, and August 4, 2026, who wish to make alternate arrangements.
Should flight delays or cancellations occur, impacted guests will be refunded or reaccommodated, as applicable. Guests who booked directly with WestJet will be directly communicated via the email address provided at the time of booking for any changes to their travel. Guests who booked through a travel agent or online booking agency are asked to contact those third-parties directly.
Please visit WestJet's Travel Advisory page for all guest and travel-related questions and westjet.com/cabincrew for the latest updates on bargaining.
The global aviation industry’s remarkable post-pandemic growth has encountered a significant headwind.
Data released today by the International Air Transport Association (IATA)shows global passenger demand declined 1.7% in June 2026compared with June 2025, marking one of the first notable year-on-year contractions since international travel fully recovered from COVID-19.
Measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPK), international demand slipped 0.9%, while domestic markets recorded a steeper 3.0% decline. Overall airline capacity also contracted by 1.3%, with the global load factor easing slightly to 84.2%, remaining historically high despite weaker demand.
Yet behind the headline numbers lies a more complicated story—one increasingly shaped not only by economics but also by geopolitics.
Middle East conflict remains aviation’s biggest drag
IATA points directly to the Middle East as the largest contributor to weaker global performance. Middle Eastern airlines experienced a dramatic 14% decline in international passenger demand, while capacity dropped 11%.
According to IATA Director General Willie Walsh, the region continues to recover from disruptions linked to the Iran conflict, although the pace of decline has begun to moderate.
“Global demand for air travel was down 1.7% in June compared to 2025. This is largely due to domestic market declines in China, the US and Japan, and weak but improving international demand for Middle East carriers,” Walsh said.
He added that renewed regional tensions and higher fuel prices threaten the industry’s recovery. The conflict has had effects extending well beyond airlines based in the Gulf.
Repeated airspace closures over Iran, Iraq, Israel and neighboring countries have forced airlines to reroute flights between Europe and Asia, adding flight time, increasing fuel burn and reducing aircraft utilization. Several carriers continue avoiding conflict zones altogether, while insurance costs and operational risks remain elevated.
A broader geopolitical picture
Although IATA identifies domestic weakness in China, the United States and Japan as major drivers behind June’s decline, geopolitical uncertainty may be exerting broader pressure on global travel confidence.
The aviation industry is simultaneously navigating:
- Continued instability in the Middle East;
- The ongoing war in Ukraine, which has permanently reshaped European and Eurasian air routes;
- Higher fuel prices linked to concerns over oil supplies;
- Increasing military tensions in parts of Asia-Pacific;
- Slowing global economic growth and persistent inflation in many markets.
Historically, aviation demand has proven remarkably resilient, but geopolitical crises often influence travel decisions indirectly through higher ticket prices, longer flight times, schedule disruptions and consumer uncertainty.
While it is impossible to attribute June’s overall decline solely to geopolitical events, the concentration of weakness in regions facing operational disruptions raises questions about how much global instability is beginning to affect passenger behavior.
Domestic markets show surprising weakness
Perhaps more unexpected than the international slowdown was the decline in domestic travel.
China, the world’s second-largest domestic aviation market, recorded a 5.2% decline, while Japan fell 3.8%and the United States slipped 1.2%.
IATA suggests higher fuel prices may be contributing to softer domestic demand, particularly in Asia, where several airlines reduced short-haul capacity.
Only Brazil posted positive domestic growth among the major markets, while Australia’s market remained flat.
Africa continues to outperform
Africa was among aviation’s brightest performers. African airlines recorded 6.7% growth in international passenger demand, the strongest of any region, with capacity rising 7.0%.
Although African carriers still reported the world’s lowest average load factor at 74.2%, demand continues to expand steadily as connectivity improves and tourism rebounds across several destinations.
Latin American airlines also posted healthy growth of 3.5%, while European airlines increased international traffic by 1.5%, helped by strong Europe-Asia demand, which grew 11%, the fastest-growing major international corridor.
Recovery continues—but new risks emerge
The June figures do not necessarily signal the beginning of a prolonged downturn.
Global passenger load factors remain historically strong, suggesting aircraft continue to fly relatively full even as airlines trim capacity. Excluding the Middle East, international passenger demand actually increased 1.1%, indicating that much of the weakness remains concentrated in conflict-affected markets.
Nevertheless, the latest data serves as a reminder that aviation remains highly sensitive to geopolitical events.
Whether the current slowdown proves temporary or develops into a broader trend may depend less on passenger appetite for travel—which remains robust—and more on whether the world’s geopolitical hotspots stabilize, oil prices moderate, and airlines regain operational certainty.
As Willie Walsh concluded, stabilizing the Middle East and normalizing oil supplies would benefit not only airlines, but economies and travelers worldwide.
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