(Reuters) -Air Canada said it planned to resume flights on Sunday after the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) acted on a directive from Canada's Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu to end the strike resulting in the suspension of more than 700 flights.

The CIRB directed Air Canada to resume airline operations and for all Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flight attendants to resume their duties by 2 p.m. ET (1800 GMT), the airline said.

Thousands of Air Canada flight attendants walked off the job for the first time since 1985, after months of negotiations over a new contract.