Air Canada began canceling flights Thursday ahead of a possible strike by its flight attendants that could impact hundreds of thousands of travelers. A complete shutdown of the country's largest airline threatens to impact about 130,000 people a day.

The Canadian government has urged Air Canada and its flight attendants' union to restart contract negotiations, with a threatened work stoppage that could disrupt travel for tens of thousands just hours away unless there is a resolution to the dispute.

Businesses want the government to prevent a strike by Air Canada flight attendants because of the impact on cargo deliveries. The post Supply chain disruptions feared as Air Canada prepares for strike appeared first on FreightWaves.

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

Canadian Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu on Thursday urged Air Canada and the union representing its flight attendants to return to the bargaining table to reach a deal that could avert a strike set to start this Saturday.