The future of Canada’s largest airline is still up in the air this weekend, as a potential strike could significantly impact travel in Newfoundland and Labrador.

A midnight Saturday deadline could trigger a shutdown and job action for Air Canada. The carrier and its pilots have been in a stalemate, and its pilots are ready to issue a 72-hour strike notice.

After 14 months of negotiations, the two sides say they are still far apart on key issues, including pay.

The Air Line Pilots Association union, which has nearly 5,200 members, said its pilots are paid below-market compensation and that what it called “corporate greed” is holding up negotiations.

The airline fired back, calling the request “unreasonable wage demands.”

Air Canada Jazz and flights operated by PAL Airlines are not affected.

Meanwhile, local tourism operators are already facing the fallout from a potential pilot’s strike.

John Fisher of the Fisher’s Loft in Port Rexton said they’ve already had bookings canceled in anticipation of possible travel disruptions, and he expects more to come.

The uncertainty comes during the shoulder season, which local operators have been working very hard to build.

Fisher says it’s not just the tourism industry that will feel the effects.

He first came to St. John’s by plane in 1977, when the two major carriers, Air Canada and CP, were only delivering about 300 people by plane each day into the capital city.

“Now, we have one airline alone which is delivering, I gather, 4,000 people a day, so Air Canada has done very well from Newfoundland.” He says other industries will hurt as well through cargo that is carried regularly in and out of the province.