After failed negotiations, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, provided notice of plans to begin a strike as early as 1 a.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 16. In response, the carrier issued a 72-hour lockout notice and began cancelling flights on Thursday, continuing into Friday, with plans for a complete pause of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights on Saturday, Aug. 16. According to AirAdvisor, historical data shows that the average Air Canada payout is $645. Still, AirAdvisor warns the influx of new claims amid a possible Air Canada strike could further deny passengers "timely justice." According to Air Canada, as of noon EDT on Friday, 294 flights have been cancelled and 55,726 travellers have been impacted.