Ont. travel agent urges patience amid potential Air Transat strike

As talks threaten to ground holiday travel for Air Transat passengers, a Windsor, Ont. travel agent is urging customers not to make rash decisions.

As turbulent contract talks threaten to ground holiday travel for Air Transat passengers, a Windsor, Ont. travel agent is urging customers not to make rash decisions.

Al Valente, the owner and president of Valente Travel, said he’s already received calls from customers concerned their trips may be disrupted.

Air Transat pilots could strike as early as Wednesday after issuing a 72-hour notice to their employer. While the airline said work is underway to reach a deal, cancellations could begin as early as Monday.

“The important thing is not to cancel without Transat advising you to do so or Transat cancelling your flight,” Valente told CTV News.

Cancelling a flight without proper cause could allow the airline to not reimburse passengers.

It’s a “peculiar” time of year for a disruption, Valente said, given the high travel volume for those eager to ditch cold Canadian winter conditions for a warmer, sunnier destination.

“It’s really a big disruption, because we really don’t have certainty as to what’s going to happen,” he said.

Despite the uncertainty, Valente said it’s unwise to book another trip because you could end up with two non-refundable trips.

If an Air Transat flight is cancelled due to a strike, the airline will be responsible for compensating those affected.

Without a “crystal ball,” Valente noted the reality is flight cancellations could put some holiday travel plans in jeopardy.

“As you can understand, there’s going to be a backlog of refunds if that is the case, but you will be out of a flight, and it may be difficult to find a flight at this time of year,” he said.

At the end of the day, Valente said the most important thing for those with a flight booked on Air Transat is to remain patient and up to date on any changes in the negotiations.