Air Canada plans to resume flights on Sunday, August 17th, following an order from the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to end a cabin crew strike that led to the suspension of approximately 700 daily flights.

The CIRB directive came after Canadian Jobs Minister Patty Hajjdu intervened and mandated binding arbitration to resolve a contract impasse between Air Canada and its unionized flight attendants, who had been negotiating for months.

The walkout by thousands of cabin crew members on Saturday marked the first time since 1985 that such an action occurred within the airline industry in Canada.

In anticipation of the stoppage, Air Canada began canceling flights on Friday, affecting over 100,000 passengers who either had to find alternative travel arrangements or decide not to travel.

According to Air Canada, flights are expected to resume by Sunday evening, though some will still be canceled over the next 7-10 days as the airline seeks to stabilize its flight schedule and return to normal operations.

The decision to require binding arbitration represents a significant step in resolving labor disputes within the Canadian aviation sector.