Air Canada's flight attendants were poised to strike on Saturday as the carrier cancelled 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 am (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 pm Friday, the airline said it had cancelled 623 flights affecting more than 100,000 passengers.

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