Air Canada suspended all operations as more than 10,000 of the airline's flight attendants went on strike early Saturday after a deadline to reach a deal passed.

Canadian Union of Public Employees spokesman Hugh Pouliot confirmed the strike had started after no deal was reached, and the airline said shortly after that it would halt operations.

"We are now officially on strike! Picket lines will be active at all bases," the union said in a statement.

It is the first strike by flight attendants since 1985.

A bitter contract fight between Canada's largest airline and the union representing 10,000 of its flight attendants escalated Friday as the union turned down the airline's request to enter into government-directed arbitration, which would eliminate its right to strike and allow a thi

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