A Perfectly Timed Predicament
The current labour dispute at Air Canada is a textbook example of this dynamic. And the timing, from a competitor’s perspective, is nothing short of exquisite. A major carrier hitting the brakes during the peak summer season is like the village’s most popular pub running out of beer on a bank holiday weekend. The demand is already there, it’s just a matter of who can serve it.
The maths are brutally simple. Air Canada moves a colossal number of people every single day. When those seats vanish from the market, a vacuum is created. Rival airlines with planes in the right places don’t just get to fill a few empty seats. They get to fill entire aircraft with desperate travellers, often at prices that would make your eyes water during normal times. It’s a classic, event-driven squeeze, and it’s happening right now.