the earliest, the carrier's local representative announced yesterday.

Wire reports last night said that Air Canada's 2,100 pilots were on the brink of an agreement to end an eight-day strike that has already cost Canada's largest carrier more than C$100 million in lost business.

Air Canada's general manager Veronica DeSilva said: "We are now cancelled until Saturday, September 12.'' She asked all people ticketed on Air Canada flights today, tomorrow and Saturday to call 1-800-776-3000, their travel agent or the airline of their choice to organise rerouting options. The airline would issue vouchers to cover the alternative forms of travel, she added.

The carrier's planes have remained on the ground since last Wednesday when the pilots went on strike over wages. Talks had been held between the two sides up until that point with no resolution.

The two sides met again for the first time on Tuesday afternoon in Montreal.

"Talks are underway and we are optimistic,'' said Ms DeSilva.

The strike has forced the airline to lay off 9,500 employees while passengers have been stranded around the world.

Ms DeSilva said Air Canada's 13 local staff were unaffected by the strike and still at work.

And she added that all of Air Canada's passengers had been rerouted to their scheduled destinations on different carriers.

Once a deal is approved by union members, the airline will be able to start domestic flights in about 24 hours and international flights shortly after that.

UNIONS UNS