As Air Canada cancelled flights on Thursday ahead of a possible flight attendants' strike, the union representing those workers accused the federal jobs minister of speaking "on behalf" of the company amid a contentious labour dispute.

Air Canada said it will start cancelling flights on Thursday ahead of a possible strike by its flight attendants, which the airline said will allow for an orderly shutdown of Canada's largest airline.

Air Canada said it would reach out via email or text to let customers know if their flights are canceled. The cancellations on Thursday included some long-haul overseas flights. By the end of Friday, the airline expects to cancel 500 flights.