Despite federal legislation blocking Air Canada's pilots walking off the job, more than a dozen flights were cancelled Saturday with the airline citing "operational challenges."
Air Canada would not respond to reports that numerous pilots had called in sick because of stress and fatigue.
"All we can say is that on this peak travel weekend, we face a number of operational challenges, including weather," spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said in an email.
"The vast majority of Air Canada employees are working hard to get our customers to destination safely."
The cancellations and delays, most of which were scheduled to leave from Montreal's Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport, could mean headaches for travel-weary folks headed home from March Break vacations this weekend.
Some pilots flocked to Twitter to refute the implication that pilots are taking illegal job action. Foggy weather surrounding Montreal, they said, caused the delays.
Neither the pilots' union nor the Air Canada Pilots Association returned requests for comment Saturday night.
The slew of cancellations comes two days after the Senate passed a back-to-work legislation bill. The union representing 3,000 pilots plans to legally challenge the legislation.
The Ministry of Labour says the government is aware of the situation.
"These issues fall with Air Canada internally, and should Air Canada feel that these actions constitute an illegal strike, they can bring this matter to the Canadian Industrial Resolution Board," said Ashley Kelahear, press secretary with the Ministry of Labour.
Toronto Pearson International Airport and Billy Bishop Airport reported several delayed or cancelled flights from Montreal as of Saturday night.
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