Air Canada Comments on Flight Attendant Vote, Confirms Business as Usual

MONTREAL, Sept. 13, 2011 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada confirmed it is business as usual for the airline and that its customers can continue to book Air Canada flights with confidence, following the announcement today of voting results by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) which gave union leadership a strike mandate if a tentative agreement is not reached. CUPE represents approximately 6,800 flight attendants employed by Air Canada.

Talks with CUPE, which resumed September 1, 2011 facilitated by a federally appointed mediator, are ongoing.

In the event an agreement is not reached with CUPE, the union must serve Air Canada with a minimum 72 hours notice if it intends to proceed with strike action.  Should this occur, the airline would implement a partial schedule including codeshare flights operated by its partner airlines.

The airline will provide further updates as developments warrant.

For more information on Air Canada visit aircanada.com and follow @AirCanada on Twitter and Facebook.

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION 

Air Canada's public communications may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements, by their nature, are based on assumptions and are subject to important risks and uncertainties, including those described below. Forward-looking statements cannot be relied upon due to, amongst other things, changing external events and general uncertainties of the business. Actual results may differ materially from results indicated in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including without limitation, industry, market, credit and economic conditions, the ability to reduce operating costs and secure financing, pension issues, energy prices, currency exchange and interest rates, employee and labour relations, competition, war, terrorist acts, epidemic diseases, environmental factors (including weather systems and other natural phenomena and factors arising from man-made sources), insurance issues and costs, changes in demand due to the seasonal nature of the business, supply issues, changes in laws, regulatory developments or proceedings, pending and future litigation and actions by third parties as well as the factors identified throughout Air Canada's public disclosure file available at www.sedar.com. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent Air Canada's expectations as of the date of this news release and are subject to change after such date. However, Air Canada disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities regulations.

For further information:
Isabelle Arthur (Montréal)     514 422-5788
Peter Fitzpatrick (Toronto)     416 263-5576
Angela Mah (Vancouver)     604 270-5741
Internet :  aircanada.com