WestJet continued to ramp up operations on Friday in an effort to restore the long weekend travel plans of thousands of passengers upended by flight cancellations before the airline reached a last-minute deal with its pilots.

Travellers stuck at airports expressed frustration with cancellations and delays, while others took to social media with stories of ruined vacations.

WestJet warned that the full resumption of operations will take time, and encouraged travellers to check the status of their flight before heading to the airport.

WestJet and the Air Line Pilots Association announced a tentative deal to avoid the job action early Friday morning after eight months of negotiations.

Bernard Lewall, head of the Air Line Pilots Association香蕉视频直播檚 WestJet contingent, said the union achieved its main goals: better pay, job security and work-life balance.

香蕉视频直播淲e did receive significant wage increases,香蕉视频直播� he said in an interview. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e secured our futures through job protection 香蕉视频直播� and we香蕉视频直播檝e had improvements to our work-life balance.香蕉视频直播�

Aviation expert John Gradek called it a 香蕉视频直播渓andmark agreement,香蕉视频直播� saying it will set the standard for labour negotiations going forward.

香蕉视频直播淲hat you香蕉视频直播檙e seeing is a tectonic shift starting to appear in terms of the way in which union and management labour relations are going to evolve in Canadian aviation,香蕉视频直播� said Gradek, a former Air Canada executive and head of McGill University香蕉视频直播檚 aviation management program.

The union will likely apply the same approach in bargaining with other airlines, he said.

香蕉视频直播淭he pilot wage rate in Canada is going to go up, there香蕉视频直播檚 no doubt about it,香蕉视频直播� Gradek added.

But he said pilot wages rising likely won香蕉视频直播檛 lead to higher prices for consumers, because of competition from ultra low-cost carriers.

While the tentative agreement avoided a strike, many travellers were still confronted by cancelled flights and foiled holiday plans.

WestJet cancelled 231 flights from Thursday through Saturday, topping the global list two days in a row, according to flight tracking service FlightAware.

The shutdown affected dozens of routes within Canada and to the U.S. and overseas, while flights at the WestJet Encore regional service and the WestJet-owned Sunwing Airlines were unaffected.

At Toronto香蕉视频直播檚 Pearson Airport, WestJet travellers described cancelled and delayed flights, mainly to Central and Western Canada.

Tommy Gilligan was set to be on flight to Calgary early Friday for a family wedding and holiday in Banff, Alta.

香蕉视频直播淭hey told us at 4:30 in the morning that it was going to be delayed, and now they just cancelled it,香蕉视频直播� the 65-year-old from Burlington, Ont., said.

香蕉视频直播淢y wife pulled some strings and we香蕉视频直播檙e on a six o香蕉视频直播檆lock flight tonight. I香蕉视频直播檓 not happy right now 香蕉视频直播� my whole family香蕉视频直播檚 waiting for us.香蕉视频直播�

The strike-related scheduling chaos with Canada香蕉视频直播檚 second-largest airline is 香蕉视频直播� totally ridiculous香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播渘ot one bit fair to us,香蕉视频直播� Gilligan said. 香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 think I香蕉视频直播檒l use WestJet after this weekend.香蕉视频直播�

Other travellers shared his frustration with the airline香蕉视频直播檚 handling of the situation, while also expressing support for the pilots.

Diran Adenugba, 44, was at the airport for a flight home to Saskatoon, the final leg in his return journey from Atlanta. His original flight was scheduled to leave Thursday evening, but was cancelled after WestJet grounded planes ahead of the strike deadline.

香蕉视频直播淚 was rescheduled to fly out this morning at 9 a.m.,香蕉视频直播� Adenugba said. 香蕉视频直播淚 got here to find out that flight was cancelled yet again.香蕉视频直播�

He was rebooked on an afternoon flight to Saskatoon via Winnipeg, and said he has his fingers crossed he will get out of Toronto on Friday.

Still, despite the inconveniences, Adenugba remained sympathetic to the grievances of pilots.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 not a pilot,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut if I were in their shoes, I香蕉视频直播檇 want my demands to be met.香蕉视频直播�

Travellers will likely blame the labour dispute and ensuing flight disruptions on WestJet, not the pilots, Gradek said.

The airline 香蕉视频直播渨as concerned about the value of the brand and their market share,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲estJet basically said, 香蕉视频直播楲et香蕉视频直播檚 cut our losses.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

Still, the bill for hundreds of cancelled and delayed flights will be 香蕉视频直播渋n the millions香蕉视频直播� for WestJet, Gradek said.

WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said the agreement with the pilots provided 香蕉视频直播渕eaningful improvements to job security and scope, working conditions and wages.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e appreciate we were able to arrive at a deal, however, recognize the impact on our guests and we sincerely appreciate their patience during this time,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Meanwhile, Lewall with the union said the deal involves both financial and lifestyle gains for pilots.

The latter includes the ability for pilots to reschedule, trade or drop so-called deadheads 香蕉视频直播� when an airline requires a pilot to commute to a different airport than where they live to start their duty.

The union also secured the right to find a pension for the pilots, he said.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e pretty excited about the whole package,香蕉视频直播� Lew all said, noting that the contract will help solve many of WestJet香蕉视频直播檚 pilot attraction and retention issues.

The deal will be developed into a tentative agreement over the coming days, with a roughly one-week voting period to follow shortly thereafter, he said.

香蕉视频直播淓ven though it was a very contentious time, last night after the agreement we all got together, shook hands and had a drink together,香蕉视频直播� Lewall said. 香蕉视频直播淭he interactions with the company were always very professional, and never heated, so I香蕉视频直播檝e got to tip my hat to the company.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播擝rett Bundale, The Canadian Press

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