The Canadian government on Saturday moved to end a strike by Air Canada's cabin crews and require binding arbitration to break their contract impasse, an action that the country's largest carrier had sought but unionized flight attendants fiercely opposed.

Hours after Air Canada flight attendants went on strike and the airline paused all flights, Canada's government intervened and ordered operations to resume.

Canada’s government has forced Air Canada and the union representing flight attendants into arbitration after a work stoppage stranded more than 100,000 travelers around the world during the peak summer travel season.