Canadian airline WestJet is starting to cancel some flights as it braces for a possible strike this week by aircraft maintenance technicians. The airline said Wednesday that it expects to cancel about 40 flights between Tuesday and Wednesday, affecting 6,500 passengers. The airline says it is canceling the flights to avoid leaving passengers and planes stranded in remote locations if there is a walkout. The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association has said that it intends to strike as soon as Thursday night after rejecting a WestJet contract offer. WestJet is hoping that the Canadian Industrial Relations Board will force both sides into binding arbitration.
