Air Canada said it remains available to continue negotiations with its flight attendants as it winds down operations ahead of a potential labor disruption.

The prospect of a systemwide work stoppage by Air Canada's unionized flight attendants loomed large on Friday with a strike deadline just hours away, despite a government plea for the two sides to return to the bargaining table.

Air Canada is preparing to indefinitely suspend most of its flights over the next three days after hitting an impasse in contract negotiations with its flight attendants' union. The union issued a notice of intention to strike,