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American Airlines experienced more delays Thursday, as a busy holiday travel weekend loomed
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American wants pilots union held in contempt
Cancellations continue to climb
February 11, 1999
Web posted at: 9:33 p.m. EST (0233 GMT)
FORT WORTH, Texas (CNN) -- American Airlines asked a federal court Thursday to find its pilots union in contempt of a judge's order to end a work slowdown that has disrupted air travel nationwide.
U.S. District Judge Joe Kendall directed the Allied Pilots Association to end the job action that has stranded hundreds of thousands of passengers and grounded more than 3,800 of American's flights since last Friday.
"We appreciate the fact that a majority of our pilots continue to fly but are surprised and disappointed with the APA's failure to clearly communicate to its members what the judge ordered," American said in a statement.
The APA, which represents 9,200 pilots at American, insisted it was following the judge's order and telling its members to return to work.
"We have sent information pertinent to the judge's order out to the membership. We are in compliance and will remain in compliance," APA spokesman 1st Officer Drew Engelke said.
American, the nation's second-largest airline, filed the motion as both sides met for the first time since the judge's ruling to resolve a pay dispute. At issue is lower pay for 300 pilots flying for Reno Air, a small West Coast carrier recently acquired by American's parent company, AMR.
There was no immediate word on progress in those talks.
Travel disruptions continue
American canceled more than 1,170 of 2,250 scheduled flights Thursday, the largest single day of cancellations since the sickout began. For the entire month of February last year, American canceled five flights, airline lawyers said.
Ticket lines backed up at American counters all over the country as customers grew increasingly angry and impatient with delays and cancellations.
On Wednesday, Kendall issued a restraining order stopping APA officials from any "concerted action" encouraging American pilots to continue the sickout. He called the labor dispute "silly." The airline sought the temporary restraining order to end what it called "illegal job actions" by members of the APA.
The union noted that the injunction does not apply to individual pilots who have been calling in sick.
Union members, prohibited by federal law from striking, have refused to work overtime and declared themselves medically "unfit to fly."
They say the Reno Air purchase violates their contract and may cause them to lose assignments and jobs to the Reno Air pilots, who earn about half their $150,000 average annual salary.
American contends it would cost $40 million to $50 million a year to raise the Reno salaries immediately. American said it has negotiated since December a plan to integrate Reno pilots in 12 to 18 months.
For passengers traveling through Monday, American said it would offer refunds or help reschedule their flights without service or penalty charges.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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