Air Transat said it will gradually cease operations starting Monday after its pilots issued a 72-hour strike notice this weekend, raising the prospect of a walkout on Wednesday morning.

In a statement on Sunday, the Montreal-based airline said the notice from the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) after mediation talks ended Saturday forces it to begin a “gradual and orderly suspension” of flights over the next two days. That involves planning to cancel flights and returning passengers, crew and aircraft to Canada to prevent them from being stranded in the event of a strike.

Air Transat said travellers scheduled to fly within the next five days can change or postpone their bookings for free.

The airline said it regrets disruptions during the busy holiday travel season, but laid the bl

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