WestJet strike grounds flights as talks continue

WestJet flight attendants went on strike early Sunday after the airline and the Canadian Union of Public Employees failed to reach a contract deal. WestJet responded with a lockout, and the dispute has already led to hundreds of flight cancellations during a busy travel weekend. The airline said 600 flights had been cancelled by 2 p.m. ET Sunday and told passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport. It also said affected travellers would be refunded or rebooked where possible. The main issue in the talks is pay, with the union saying workers are not fairly compensated for some ground duties. Negotiations continued in Calgary while travellers at airports across Canada reported delays, confusion, and added costs, and federal intervention had not yet been announced.