The union representing more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants says its members have walked off the job after it was unable to reach an eleventh hour deal with the airline.

The strike officially began just before 1 a.m. ET on Saturday.

The airline said all Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights would be cancelled amid the work stoppage. Around 130,000 customers will be affected each day that the strike continues, the company said.

"Air Canada deeply regrets the effect the strike is having on customers," it said in a brief statement early Saturday morning.

Flights by Air Canada Express, which are operated by third-party airlines Jazz and PAL, are not affected.

The company previously asked Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu to intervene by ordering the parties to enter a binding arbitrati

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