Air Canada work stoppage creates travel chaos at Bay Area airports and beyond

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Canada's government forced Air Canada and its striking flight attendants back to work and into arbitration Saturday after a work stoppage stranded more than 100,000 travelers around the world during the peak summer travel season.

On Saturday afternoon, the travel plans of thousands had been disrupted.

"It's tough. I've been dealing with this since 5 o'clock in the morning," said Hakim Gulaid.

It's not how Gulaid from Emeryville wanted to spend his Saturday, trying to rebook flights for his family at SFO.

"My kids live in Canada," Gulaid said.

RELATED: Government forces Air Canada and flight attendants union into arbitration

Air Canada's flight attendants went on strike Saturday, leaving thousands of passengers stranded around the world. At least a dozen Air Canada flights were cancelled at SFO.

Neil Ortleib was trying to get home to Toronto. He was able to re-book on another airline, but he's got a long wait.

"It leaves me taking a red eye to Pittsburgh, sleep in the airport, get into Toronto tomorrow, which should have been tonight," Ortleib said.

"We're here because Air Canada pays us junior flight attendants so little. We had to open food banks in our union offices," said Wesley Lesosky, president of Air Canada's flight attendants union.

The flight attendant's union reaching an impasse with airline management over wages and compensation in their next contract as a result, the airline had to cancel most of its scheduled flights.

RELATED: Air Canada starts canceling flights ahead of work stoppage that could impact hundreds of thousands

Air Canada is advising customers not to come to the airport unless they have a confirmed ticket on another airline. Instead, the airline said it will contact customers about their travel options. Some folks couldn't wait, because they couldn't get though by phone.

"What I should have done is not listen -- just turn up here they would have found something for me," said Esther Fortin.

Air Canada says customers whose flights were canceled will be eligible for a full refund through the airline's website or mobile app.

In the meantime, Gulaid rebooked a flight on Delta to Syracuse, New York and plans to drive his kids three hours north to Ottawa.

"Hopefully by the grace of God, we'll be in Ottawa, Canada Monday, for the kids to attend school," Gulaid said.