Air Canada has been forced to cancel nearly 2,600 flights as striking flight attendants refuse to return to work.

A crippling strike by Air Canada flight attendants that grounded thousands of flights over wages and unpaid labor is the latest blow to the airline industry's compensation system that does not fully pay cabin crews for their hours at work.

On Thursday, Air Canada announced it will cover "reasonable" expenses for hotels, meals and transport costs incurred by passengers who endured flight delays and cancellations during the recent strike by the airline's flight attendants.

El sindicato de 10.000 asistentes de vuelo en huelga de Air Canada y la aerolínea reanudaron las conversaciones el lunes por la noche por primera vez desde

Canada's government stepped in four times to aid seven companies last year, stopping strikes using an obscure Labour Code provision. A similar decree on Sunday failed, however, as Air Canada's flight attendants refused to obey and stayed on strike for three days.