WestJet pilots issue 72-hour strike notice, poised to begin job action Friday

For the latest, see: WestJet offers cancellation, flight-change waiver as pilot strike, lockout looms

The WestJetGroup says it will lock out the airline's pilotsafter their union sent a 72-hour strike notice to the company and government Monday night, setting the stage for a work stoppage right before the May long weekend.

The airline says it'sbegun preparationsto operate a reduced schedule, manage changes and cancellations and provideflexible change and cancel options for those people who want to change their plans.

Impacted guests wouldbe refunded or re-accommodated as applicable, WestJet said.

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA)represents both WestJet and Swoop pilots, and the lockout notice applies to Swoop pilots as well.

The WestJet Groupsaid a work stoppage could occur as early as Friday at 3 a.m. MT.In a release, WestJet said that issuing a lockout notice does not mean a work stoppage will occur.

"It is our responsibility to ensure the safety and complete control of our network at all times, to minimize the risk of stranding our guests, our crews and our aircraft," said WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroechin the release.

"We sincerely regret the inconvenience and uncertainty this continues to cause for our guests."

About 1,850 WestJet pilots with the unionare poised to strike. Some of the issues they saystill need to be resolved include pay, job security and scheduling.

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With a strike deadline looming, pilots with WestJet say they're still far apart in negotiations with the company. Members of the Air Line Pilots Association held an informational picket in Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary on May 8. The CBC's Colleen Underwood was there.

"After nine months of negotiating, management still fails to understand today's labour market conditions, leading to a mass exodus of our pilots in search of better work opportunities," saidCapt. Bernard Lewall, chair of the WestJet ALPA Master Executive Council in a release.

"More will follow if this agreement does not meet our pilots' needs."

Negotiationsbetween WestJet and the pilots' unionbegan in September.Last month, the pilots voted in favour of a strike mandate.

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The government has proposed new rules that would improve air passenger rights. Andrew Chang breaks down the three key points, and discusses how they'll play out with business reporter Sophia Harris.

Von Hoensbroechsaid he was disappointedthe pilots served a strike notice, saying that the company's offerwould have made the pilots "by far the best paid in Canada."

In a post to Twitter on Monday night, he said he had personallyjoined the bargaining table and is committed to coming to a reasonable deal.

"As the union maintains unreasonable expectations we see no alternative [than] to lock them out as of Friday,"von Hoensbroech wrote on Twitter.

Should flight delays or cancellations happen, impacted guests will be refunded or re-accommodated as applicable, WestJet said.

In a news release sent to CBC News, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA)said that as of 3a.m. ET on May 19, the pilotsplan to begin lawful job action, which could include grounding all aircraft and effectively shutting down operations.