WestJet cancels more flights amid strike

Tens of thousands of travellers likely to be affected

- ASMA SAHEBZADA

The travel disruptions come after some 670 mechanics with WestJet walked off the job in strike action on Friday

As the WestJet aircraft mechanics strike enters its third day, Canada's second-largest airline says it has cancelled hundreds of flights that is expected to affect tens of thousands of travellers' vacation plans over the Canada Day long weekend.

On Sunday afternoon, the Calgary-based company said the total number of flight cancellations from Thursday until Tuesday has hit 832, with 424 of those trips originally scheduled to fly on Sunday.

WestJet said it has cancelled an additional 78 flights on Monday and three on Tuesday.

As of Sunday afternoon, 77 per cent of the airline's trips for the day had been cancelled, with WestJet topping the global list for cancellations among major airlines, according to tracking service FlightAware.

The company said that it would continue parking aircraft on Sunday to safely reduce its operating fleet to approximately 32 by Sunday evening.