The four-hour walk-out of about 3,800 baggage handlers, ground staff and caterers of Qantas is scheduled Tuesday, but a day ahead of the work stoppage, the air carrier canceled on Monday 28 flight and delayed 27 more by up to 35 minutes.

The early cancellation and delay announcement is an acknowledgement from Qantas that the industrial action would affect more than 6,100 passengers of the flag carrier. Qantas also warned the impact of the strike could be felt in the next two days.

Besides canceling and delaying flights, Qantas announced last week that it would use larger wide-body aircraft and tap management staff to temporarily take over the duties of striking employees who belong to the Transport Workers Union (TWU).

The TWU are striking over pay and work hours issues. Their job walk off would coincide with a strike by the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association in Sydney on the same day, which is expected to affect travel plans of about 800 ticket holders for six flights. The engineers have been holding one-hour strikes since August and their industrial action had affected more than 1,000 passengers.

Another strike will also be held on Tuesday by Qantas pilots. The three unions are protesting Qantas' plans to open offshore Asian subsidiaries to cut costs, but would cost jobs.

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