TORONTO: Air Canada’s flight attendants were poised to strike on Saturday as the carrier canceled hundreds of flights impacting more than 100,000 passengers ahead of a threatened work stoppage that could shut down service.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents Air Canada’s 10,000 flight attendants, was in a legal position to strike as of 12:01 a.m. (0401 GMT), after delivering a 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday.
The public broadcaster CBC reported the labor action could begin around 1:00 am if no last-minute deal is reached.
Air Canada, which transports about 130,000 passengers daily, had said it would gradually wind down operations ahead of the possible strike.
As of 8:00 p.m. Friday, the airline said it had canceled 623 flights affecting more than 100,000 passengers.
