You鈥檙e packing your bags but still don鈥檛 know if Air Canada will be taking you to your planned destination.

Calgary-based travel agent Lesley Keyter says she鈥檚 been fielding questions from people travelling this weekend and next week about whether to cancel their trip or change their flight as a potential work stoppage looms.

鈥淚 have tried to reassure people, if they look back historically, these disruptions typically don鈥檛 last longer than maybe four, five days,鈥� Keyter, owner of the Travel Lady, said.

鈥淏ut of course, the ripples from that continue along much longer than that and people鈥檚 confidence is shaken.鈥�

The union representing Air Canada pilots is in position to strike as soon as Sept. 18, so the required 72 hours鈥� notice could come over the weekend. Here鈥檚 what travellers need to know:

What happens to my flight if there is a strike or lockout?

In case of labour action, all Air Canada flights will be cancelled. Ticket holders will be eligible for a full refund regardless of the fare type.

Air Canada has said it will notify its customers within 48 hours of the scheduled departure time if their flight is cancelled and rebook them on another flight, depending on available seats. They will be rebooked on another partner or competitor airline within 48 hours of the original departure time.

No additional compensation other than the rebooking, such as food or accommodation, is offered in a strike situation, which the airline deems out of its control.

I have a flight booked next week. What do I need to know about possible cancellations?

If the flight is cancelled, Keyter suggests reaching out to the source of the booking. For example, Air Canada will be the point of contact if the fare was purchased through the airline. If it was booked through a third-party site or travel agent, they will deal with the cancellations.

I want to change my flight. What are my options?

If a traveller has purchased a refundable fare, they can get a full refund from Air Canada and book a spot with another airline. For non-refundable tickets, passengers can get credit for a future flight or book travel before Sept. 15 or between Sept. 24 and Nov. 30.

Keyter said passengers have to evaluate their destination and what the travel arrangement is like when making changes to plans. If the traveller absolutely has to travel, she suggests getting Air Canada credit to use later while also booking another flight.

Cancelling or changing my travel dates isn鈥檛 an option for me. What can I do?

Keyter suggests booking a fully refundable flight elsewhere as a backup if a traveller has a non-refundable ticket. Air Canada has offered to change dates or allow future travel credit but no refund on such tickets.

鈥淏ooking a fully refundable ticket as an insurance backup is an expensive option because we鈥檙e looking at a last-minute full-fare ticket,鈥� Keyter said. 鈥淚f financially they can afford that, then maybe that gives them peace of mind.鈥�

Keyter likened the situation to the threat of a WestJet strike earlier this year.

鈥淚 was going on a trip that I could not miss. I was going for a family funeral in Europe,鈥� she recalled. Keyter decided to secure her trip with a fully refundable flight as insurance, in case the airline went on strike.

鈥淚t was a big chunk of money and I didn鈥檛 feel comfortable about it,鈥� she said. In the end, the strike didn鈥檛 happen so she was able to refund the fare.

Will buying insurance help?

Most insurance does not cover labour disruptions because they are considered known risks rather than unexpected weather and other traditionally insured events.

When will I get my money back?

The airline is obliged to refund the amount within 30 days of the flight cancellation under Canada鈥檚 Air Passenger Protection Regulations.