Affected by Alzheimer’s, she fears the cancellation of her Air Canada flight for Scotland

Two Ontarians, friends for 65 years, fear that the imminent strike of Air Canada on-board agents does not force them to put their first trip overseas.

Barbara Langer is looking forward to flying to Edinburgh in a week with her childhood friend, Gail Royer. The two women knew each other in Quebec in the 1960s.

A very special journey, since Gail has early Alzheimer’s. The two accomplices wanted to leave this year, so that Gail could discover Scotland before it was too late.

I feared that if we were waiting too much, she has no memories of itsaid Barbara to CBC Toronto. It was important to me that we were going there while she still has a fairly complete control of her memory and her experiences.

The two women have reserved air-trip air Canada flights for Scotland, a nine-day trip scheduled for a year.

This is something that we have been expecting both impatiently for so longadded Barbara Langer. We do not have a rescue plan, except to cry and say to us: “Oh, well, it was a good dream as long as it lasted”.

The flight of Barbara and Gail has not yet been hit, but Air Canada has already started to cancel flights Thursday, in anticipation of a potential strike of the more than 10,000 online agents on Saturday.

None of the two women has insurance that covers cancellations and travel interruptions. Performing a new reservation could be very difficult, unless they find new accommodation, says Barbara Langer.

I cross my fingers, legs and arms. I come across everything I have, she said.

130,000 passengers per day, according to the carrier

Air Canada said there would be a progressive flight suspension, with more cancellations on Friday, before a complete cessation of air Canada and Red Air Canada flights by the weekend. About 130,000 customers per day could be affected by this interruption, according to the airline.

The Canadian Public Service Syndicate made a 72 -hour strike notice on Wednesday, which would lead its members to disengage at 0:58 a.m. on Saturday, if no agreement is concluded by then. Air Canada replied by issuing a lockout notice from 1:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Passengers are not without recourse

Air Canada has some obligations under the regulation on the protection of air passengers.

In the event of a canceled flight, the carrier must find a ticket on another of its flights or another airline. However, the process may take several days, since the other airlines are also struggling with the traffic of the summer period.

If Air Canada does not find other flight options with a competitor in 48 hours, the company will have to reimburse the ticket price or offer alternative travel arrangements.

With CBC News information