After days of mass cancellations and stranded passengers, a tentative agreement has been reached between Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents more than 10,000 flight attendants. The deal comes after nine hours of mediated talks with Ottawa’s chief mediator and will now be presented to union members for ratification.

One of the key sticking points for the union was compensation for time spent working while planes are on the ground. CUPE signaled victory in that area, declaring that “unpaid work is over.”

The breakthrough means Air Canada will begin restoring service as early as Tuesday evening, though the airline cautions it could take a week or more before operations fully return to normal. Passengers should still expect some cancellations in the coming days.

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The strike, which began early Saturday, was the first major job action by Air Canada flight attendants since the 1980s. The federal government quickly intervened, ordering binding arbitration through the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB). CUPE initially defied the order, accusing the airline of not bargaining in good faith, but eventually returned to negotiations under mediator William Kaplan, who previously worked on Canada Post disputes.

During the disruption, Air Canada had canceled more than 2,500 flights, affecting an estimated 500,000 passengers. The airline has apologized for the impact, offering refunds, credits, or rebooking where possible.

Prime Minister Mark Carney weighed in, saying flight attendants deserved to be “compensated equitably at all times,” while Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu defended Ottawa’s intervention, saying it was clear “another tool” was needed to push both sides back to the table.

For passengers, the tentative deal offers some much-needed relief—and a return to the skies after days of uncertainty.