WestJet cabin crew compensation and negotiations explained

May 22, 2026

Key Findings: 
WestJet and WestJet Encore complete minimum wage compliance self-audit 

During the self-audit, WestJet and WestJet Encore sampled 40 and 15 Cabin Personnel respectively and found that the majority of sampled individuals were originally awarded schedules that meet Canada Labour Code minimum wage compliance. 

WestJet and WestJet Encore each observed a 99 per cent compliance rate with minimum wage obligations in the self-audit window. The discrepancies are due to a limited number of cases in which Cabin Personnel self-modified their originally assigned flying schedule which resulted in a compliance concern. 

Actionable Measures: 

As a result of the findings, for those situations in which WestJet can confirm that compensation for a Cabin Personnel was not compliant with minimum wage requirements, including for those discrepancy situations identified above, WestJet and WestJet Encore will issue payments to rectify the discrepancy.

Considerations not addressed by the audit: 

• The audit narrowly defined compensation to only include wages tied directly to hours worked 
• Items like profit share, WestJet Savings Plan, and other payments are valid parts of total compensation that were not counted as part of this regulatory test, if those benefits were included in the regulatory test, the total compensation would have offered a greater benefit than the minimum wage requirements.
• Current practices allow for significant flexibility for crew, which can result in unintended pay complications 
• Even where outcomes were influenced by crew decisions, we remain accountable for meeting minimum wage thresholds and take compliance seriously, address these situations and acting decisively when needed 

Canada’s Labour Program self-audit scope and methodology: 

• Audit Window: May 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026 
• Sample Size: 40 WestJet Cabin Personnel; 15 WestJet Encore Cabin Crew Members
• Selection Criteria: WestJet included the 40 most junior Cabin Personnel who had flying schedules as of May 1, 2025; WestJet Encore included the 15 most junior Cabin Crew Members who had flying schedules as of May 1, 2025

View the full summary of the Minimum Wage Compliance Self-Audit (WestJet: An Alberta Partnership) 

View the full summary of the Minimum Wage Compliance Self-Audit (WestJet Encore Ltd.) 

February 12, 2026

WestJet acknowledges the Labour Program's initial findings in the Probe on Unpaid Work in the Airline Sector: Phase I – What We Heard report.

The key findings reaffirm that cabin crew (flight attendants) perform valued work across the full scope of their duties, and airlines compensate that work in accordance with collectively negotiated agreements and federal labour standards. The report confirms that airline compensation structures for cabin crew do meet federal labour standards. The supporting compensation design WestJet employs has been developed through collective bargaining between the airline and union and ensures compensation is provided for both in-flight and ground duties as required under Canadian labour law. With WestJet and its cabin crew union, CUPE, currently engaged in collective bargaining, WestJet looks forward to reaching a meaningful collective agreement. 

WestJet recognizes and values the important role cabin crew play in ensuring the safety, comfort, and care of our guests on every flight. WestJet greatly values its relationship with our cabin crew and CUPE and remains committed to transparent and constructive dialogue and upholding the highest standards for all WestJetters.

As this review continues into Phase II, WestJet supports the Labour Program's collaborative approach and will continue working with them to support additional analysis and engagement.

The Probe on Unpaid Work in the Airline Sector: Phase I – What We Heard report can be found at https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/portfolio/labour/programs/labour-standards/reports/unpaid-work-airline.html

Author: Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the department of the Government of Canada responsible for developing, managing and delivering social programs and services.