Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it鈥檚 up to Air Canada and the union to reach an agreement to avoid disrupting travellers and businesses.

Speaking at an event in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que., on Friday, Trudeau said he wouldn鈥檛 tip the scales toward either party.

鈥淚 know every time there鈥檚 a strike, people say, 鈥極h, you鈥檒l get the government to come in and fix it.鈥� We鈥檙e not going to do that,鈥� said Trudeau.

鈥淲e have and we will protect the Canadian economy. But first and foremost is putting all the pressure on the people who need to feel that pressure 鈥� unions and the employers.鈥�

He said the government won鈥檛 intervene unless it becomes clear that no negotiated agreement is possible.

The airline and pilots will be in a position starting Sunday to issue 72-hour notice of a strike or lockout. The airline has said the notice would trigger its three-day wind-down plan and start the clock on a full work stoppage that could come as early as Sept. 18.

The airline鈥檚 cargo service has already stopped accepting some items such as perishables, but says so far it hasn鈥檛 had to cancel any flights because of the labour negotiations.

Numerous business groups have called on the government to intervene in the matter, including the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and the Canadian and U.S. Chambers of Commerce.

Negotiations are mostly stuck on the question of pay.

The airline says the union is being inflexible with 鈥渦nreasonable wage demands.鈥�

The union has said it is corporate greed that鈥檚 holding up talks, as Air Canada continues to post record profits while expecting pilots to accept below-market compensation.

The two sides are continuing to meet Friday in an attempt to reach a deal.