<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A small number of Australian services are being impacted as Air Canada started cancelling flights overnight ahead of possible industrial action.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The airline announced a first set of cancellations involving several dozen flights impacting long-haul overseas flights due to depart Canada yesterday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They include Air Canada's flight from Vancouver to Sydney scheduled to depart last night and the returning flight due to leave Sydney tomorrow.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/israel-gaza-update-mike-huckabee-details-us-reaction-australia-palestine-recognition/d1b0f06f-4242-41d3-89a9-94c04547739c" target="_blank"><strong><span>Trump 'disappointed and disgusted' with Albanese</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The union representing around 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants issued a 72-hour strike notice Wednesday. In response, the airline issued a lockout notice.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mark Nasr, chief operations officer for Air Canada, said the carrier has begun a gradual suspension of operations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"All flights will be paused by Saturday early morning," he said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/air-canada-flights-to-australia-cancelled-ahead-of-potential-strike/79470b36-68b0-4908-8fe3-3ce93285920d" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nasr said this approach will help facilitate an orderly restart "which under the best circumstances will take a full week to complete."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He said a grounding will affect 25,000 Canadians a day abroad who may become stranded. They expect 500 flights to be cancelled by the end of Friday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/police-arrest-19-people-over-alleged-melbourne-retail-theft-syndicate/ad718479-3b99-4339-8f2e-2e731c3235c7" target="_blank"><strong><span>$10 million shoplifting syndicate smashed in sweeping raids</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He said customers whose flights are cancelled will be eligible for a full refund, and it has also made arrangements with other Canadian and foreign carriers to provide alternative travel options "to the extent possible."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The union has said its main sticking points revolve around what it calls flight attendants' "poverty wages" and unpaid labour when planes aren't in the air.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some flight attendants at the airline's news conference on Thursday held up signs that read "Unpaid work won't fly" and "Poverty wages = UnCanadian."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>- With AP</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the </span></em></strong><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span> and </span></em></strong><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span></span></div></div>