Air Canada plans to restart its flights today following a federal government intervention that ordered binding arbitration to resolve a flight attendants' strike. The Montreal-based airline announced that its first flights will take off this evening, but it may take several days for operations to return to normal.

The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) has directed Air Canada to resume operations and ensure that flight attendants return to work by 2 p.m. ET. The federal government intervened on Saturday, ending the strike and lockout after less than 12 hours.

In a statement, Air Canada confirmed that the CIRB has mandated the extension of the terms of the collective agreement with the flight attendants' union, which expired on March 31, until a new agreement is reached. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing over 10,000 flight attendants, accused federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu of yielding to Air Canada's demands.

CUPE announced on Saturday that its members would begin picketing after failing to secure a last-minute deal with the airline. Air Canada subsequently locked out its agents about 30 minutes later due to the strike action. The union has expressed its opposition to the arbitration process, preferring to resolve the dispute through direct negotiations.

CUPE has highlighted key issues in the negotiations, including wages that have not kept pace with inflation during the previous 10-year contract and concerns over unpaid labor when planes are not in operation. The union has also called for a national day of action, with demonstrations planned outside airports in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary.

During the strike, more than 700 flights operated by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge were canceled. However, flights by Air Canada Express, which are operated by third-party airlines Jazz and PAL, were not affected. The airline stated that customers whose flights were canceled and who did not travel or accept a refund would be notified and provided with new itineraries.