Illegal Labour Disruption at Consolidated Aviation Fueling of Toronto Affecting All Airlines Operating at Pearson International Airport; Advice for Air Canada Customers

TORONTO, July 3, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - An illegal labour disruption at Consolidated Aviation Fueling of Toronto (the sole fuel agent at Toronto Pearson) is affecting the fueling of all airlines operating at Pearson International Airport today.  Due to Consolidated's reduced operations, some delays and cancelled flights can be expected. It should be noted that this is not a labour disruption between Air Canada, the other airlines and their unions but rather between Consolidated and its union.

Air Canada is successfully minimizing impact to customers today and will continue to do so through various measures including fueling a maximum number of aircraft at other airports.  In addition, an onsite customer care team has been deployed at Pearson Airport to assist customers and facilitate rebooking if needed.

Advice for customers:

• Prior to leaving for the airport, customers should check the status of their flight at www.aircanada.com or call Air Canada's automated flight information system at 1-888-422-7533.

• Air Canada has revised its ticketing policy for customers booked on affected flights to facilitate changes to bookings. Those customers wishing to make alternate travel arrangements can do so without penalty, space permitting, using Air Canada's online rebooking tool to check alternate travel options currently available; re-book and check in before arriving at the airport.

• Impacted customers at Toronto Pearson will be accommodated pre-security at Aisles 10-13 and post security at Air Canada Customer Service Desks.

Air Canada reserves its right to seek all available legal remedies and recourses.

Background Information:

Air Canada and all other airlines operating at Toronto's Pearson International Airport are changing their fuel provider from Consolidated Aviation Fueling of Toronto Ulc, a subsidiary of Allied Aviation Services Inc., to ASIG effective October 1, 2015. Consolidated is to continue to provide services to airlines at Toronto's Pearson International Airport through the existing arrangement until that date.

Air Canada understands that ASIG's fuelling employees in Toronto and Swissport's fuelling employees in Montreal will be unionized. ASIG is actively seeking, through various on-going job fairs, qualified and experienced fuelers.  It is expected that eligible candidates from Consolidated would be able to apply for jobs at ASIG in Toronto, as was the case with CAFAS and Swissport in Montreal.

SOURCE Air Canada

Isabelle Arthur (Montréal), 514 422-5788; Peter Fitzpatrick (Toronto), 416 263-5576; Angela Mah (Vancouver), 604 270-5741; Internet: aircanada.com