Sunwing Flight Attendants Speak out Against Quebec City Base Closure

QUÉBEC--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Flight attendants at Sunwing, represented by CUPE 8125, are speaking out against WestJet's decision to close their base in Quebec City after acquiring and merging its operations with Sunwing in 2024.

On March 17, members of CUPE 8125 joined Sunwing pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Association at a press conference in Quebec City to encourage WestJet to retain its base in Quebec City.

Dominique Côté, a flight attendant with 18 years experience at Sunwing, underlined the choice that the airline is forcing workers with years of dedicated service to make: either uproot and relocate their families 300km away, commute three hours to work without pay, or quit.

Côté also highlighted the impact on Quebec City and surrounding communities, in particular the loss of language supports for the majority francophone population who travel out of Quebec City. The ability of flight attendants to communicate with passengers in their mother tongue also means passengers are better able to understand instructions from the flight crew.

"Our passengers deserve to understand, and they deserve to be understood,” said Côté. “The fact that we can address our passengers in French helps foster respect. Passengers trust us, so they’re more inclined to respect the guidelines, almost like they’re part of the family.”

The statistics don't lie: Côté pointed out that incidences of non-compliance on board are virtually non-existent in flights operated out of Quebec City, resulting in a safer flying environment for all. "We firmly believe that the bond between crew and passengers plays a role in making it that way," said Côté.

CUPE and ALPA are calling on WestJet to reverse their decision, respect the success story that has been built over decades at the Sunwing Quebec City base, and keep a crew base open in Quebec City.