Air Canada flight attendants walk off job

Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights have now been suspended.

Around 10,000 flight attendants represented by CUPE walked off the job at 12:58 ET Saturday morning.

The Air Canada Component of CUPE issued a 72-hour strike notice to the airline on August 13, and the airline began cancelling flights the following day in preparation.

Air Canada says around 130,000 customers will be impacted each day.

Customers who have tickets booked with Air Canada are urged not to go to the airport unless their flight has been confirmed. For those affected by the strike, Air Canada says they will be permitted to rebook their travel or obtain a credit for future travel.

CUPE says pickets have been set up at airports in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Richmond, B.C., Halifax, Winnipeg and Ottawa.

Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hajdu is urging the two sides to work harder to reach a deal. Before the strike, she said it was unacceptable that such little progress had been made.

Air Canada Jazz and PAL Airlines flights continue to operate as usual.