The country’s second-largest airline has been grounded.

The strike/lockout at WestJet has come to pass, and flights are now being cancelled.

WestJet usually handles about 600 flights a day but its 150 planes are all on the tarmac.

The 4400 flight attendants, represented by CUPE, say they are not being paid for work done when planes are not in the air.

The company did make a last-minute offer, but CUPE says it did not go far enough.

Air Canada’s flight attendants went on strike a couple of years ago for a similar reason, but the federal government of the day ordered them back almost immediately. That is unlikely to happen in this situation – at least not immediately.