Transport. Air Canada flight attendants on strike, all flights cancelled

Air Canada flight attendants began a strike this Saturday over their pay, which led to the airline canceling all of its flights, affecting approximately 130,000 passengers a day.

"We are now officially on strike," announced in a press release the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents the approximately 10,000 flight personnel affected.

Air Canada, which serves 180 cities worldwide directly, immediately responded by announcing that it had "suspended all operations," including 700 flights scheduled for Saturday. "Air Canada strongly advises affected customers not to go to the airport," the company added in a statement, adding that it "deeply regrets the impact of the strike on customers."

CUPE had filed a 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday. Even before the strike officially began, the airline had already announced the cancellation of nearly 300 flights on Friday.

Beyond a pay rise, its flight crew is also demanding to be paid for hours worked on the ground, including during boarding, which was not the case until now.