Air Canada reached a tentative labour agreement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees early Tuesday, ending a nearly four-day strike by about 10,000 flight attendants that had paralysed the country’s largest carrier. The union instructed members to return to work immediately, allowing the airline to begin a phased resumption of service later in the day. The walkout, the first by Air Canada cabin crew in 40 years, forced the airline to cancel more than 2,000 flights and disrupted travel for an estimated half-million passengers at the height of the summer season. Air Canada, which ordinarily transports roughly 130,000 customers daily, said regular operations may not be fully restored for a week or more, and some cancellations will continue as schedules are rebuilt. While full contract details were not released, both sides said the deal addresses the union’s central demand: paid compensation for work performed on the ground, such as boarding and disembarking—tasks for which attendants had previously received no wages. The union declared that “unpaid work is over,” and federal Labour Minister Patty Hajdu pledged to proceed with an inquiry into unpaid duties across the airline sector. Air Canada withdrew its third-quarter and full-year earnings guidance during the stoppage. The agreement still requires ratification by union members, but a renewed strike or lock-out is barred while voting takes place.