Canada's largest airline will begin suspending flights on Thursday after the union representing its flight attendants issued a 72-hour strike notice.
Air Canada will begin gradually suspending flights over that period, the carrier said, warning that passengers without confirmed flights should not go to the airport.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, provided a strike notice early on Wednesday after reaching an impasse in contract talks.
The union said that it has bargained in good faith but Air Canada "refused to address" core issues, such as proposals on wages, and unpaid work.
The airline said on Tuesday night that it had received a union counteroffer seeking "exorbitant increases" and that CUPE had rejected an offer to enter binding, third-party arbitration.
