A sudden strike by more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants has grounded hundreds of flights, leaving some UAE residents stranded in Canada as the disruption stretches into a third day.

The walkout, which began on Saturday, has shut down operations for the carrier that usually transports 130,000 passengers a day. Despite a back-to-work order from Canada's labour board , the union has refused to comply, demanding the airline return to the bargaining table.

The standoff has left Air Canada's fleet grounded and thrown summer travel into chaos, with ripple effects being felt globally. For UAE travellers, the disruption has quickly become a personal crisis.

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UAE resident Emma Dylan, currently in Toronto, said the lack of communication from the airline has been frustrating.“They cancelled our direct flight without prior notice and moved us to an option with multiple layovers,” she said.“When I asked about compensation or alternatives, the response was vague. At one point, a staff member even suggested the Dubai route was cancelled because of the situation in the Middle East.” This left her confused and uncertain about next steps.

For Emma, another source of stress has been the financial hurdle of finding alternatives.“Everything now is, of course, triple the price since it's a last-minute booking,” she said, noting that she usually books her flights to/from Canada months in advance.

Charlotte Felix, a Canadian citizen living in Toronto, said her mother was supposed to fly from Dubai to Canada over the weekend but has been left in limbo after the flight was cancelled.“I keep calling the airline and checking online, but there are no clear updates,” she said.“My mom is in Dubai alone and waiting to travel back. We just want to know if there are alternatives or even a timeline, but no one is giving us straight answers.”

Families travelling with children are among those hardest hit. Antoine B, a UAE resident who had taken his kids to Canada for the summer, said he is scrambling to rebook before the new academic year begins.“I was supposed to fly back this week so the children could start school on time,” he said.“Now I'm looking at other airlines, but the few available seats are either sold out or much more expensive. It's a stressful situation for any parent.”

Air Canada, a member of the Star Alliance network, had planned to resume some flights on Sunday after the government pushed for binding arbitration. The refusal by the union to comply , however, has left the situation unresolved.

The Canadian government has described the defiance as“almost unprecedented,” while industry experts warn that even if flights resume later this week, it could take days, if not longer, before schedules return to normal.

For now, passengers remain in limbo, refreshing their phones for updates, weighing costly alternatives, and hoping for a swift resolution between the airline and its workers.

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