Air Canada is set to begin pre-emptively cancelling flights ahead of a Saturday deadline for a potential strike, throwing a wrench into travel plans, connecting flights and long-awaited summer excursions. It also raises the question of whether passengers are owed more than just refunds and rebooking onto alternative flights.

The union representing 10,000 flight attendants for Canada's largest airline issued a 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday.

The first flights will be cancelled August 14, with more on August 15, with a complete cessation of flying by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge on August 16,' the airline says