Air Canada, union clash as flight attendants set to strike

Air Canada and its unionised flight attendants remained at odds yesterday, despite government pleas for both sides to return to bargaining to avert a strike that would upend travel for tens of thousands of passengers.

- ALLISON LAMPERT

Canada's largest carrier has said it expected to cancel 500 flights by the end of the day, ahead of the planned strike today, leaving some 100,000 passengers scrambling for alternatives.

Flightradar data showed Air Canada had cancelled 27 flights as of 10 pm EDT on Thursday.

The carrier's 10,000 flight attendants were gearing up to strike just before 1 am EDT today over stalled contract talks on union demands for higher wages and compensation for unpaid work.

A strike would hit Canada's tourism sector during the height of the summer travel season and test the ruling Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney, which has been asked by the carrier to intervene and impose arbitration.