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The Air Transat Component of CUPE, which represents flight attendants at the airline, is concerned with the news that the carrier is cancelling all flights from Pearson Airport in Toronto and suspending links from Montreal.
“We understand that health measures have had a devastating effect on air traffic, and we can’t understand why Canada is the only developed country without a rescue plan for air carriers. We have been waiting for a recovery program since mid-March 2020, almost one year ago!” deplored union president, Dominic Levasseur.
The carrier has pointed to the maintenance of travel restrictions and the numerous measures imposed by the federal government, particularly the requirement to present a negative COVID-19 screening test and the mandatory quarantine upon return to Canada.
“We urge Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his new Transport Minister, Omar Alghabra, to act before it’s too late. The recovery of this key industry will have a sweeping effect on our economic recovery as a whole,” Levasseur pointed out.
Moreover, he pointed out that Air Transat is the largest Francophone carrier outside of France and that service offered to Francophones across the country would be adversely affected if the company were to go out of business.
With close to 122,000 members in Quebec, CUPE represents some 1980 members in the airline transportation industry, including cabin crew personnel with Air Canada, Air Transat and Sunwing.
This press release was prepared and distributed by CUPE.
