December 27, 1998
Web posted at: 10:49 p.m. EST (0349 GMT)

ST. LOUIS (CNN) -- Trans World Airlines resumed a nearly normal flight schedule Sunday after most flight attendants returned to work.

The flight attendant sickout, which began on Christmas Eve, paralyzed TWA air traffic at its St. Louis hub and stranded hundreds of fliers over the holiday weekend.

TWA canceled 20 flights Sunday from St. Louis, company spokesman Jim Brown said. But the company arranged for passengers to board later flights, and by late Sunday afternoon all had departed, he said.

Sunday's cancellations were down from 55 on Saturday, 45 of which were attributed to the sickout.

U.S. District Court Judge Nina Gershon issued a restraining order late Friday, ordering the union to end what the airline called an "illegal work stoppage" and to contact every flight attendant who called in sick and have them return to work.

TWA officials could not say how many flight attendants in all called in sick. But Brown said only six, below the daily average, did so on Sunday. He did not know if any had violated the court order.

The flight attendants, currently negotiating for a new contract through the International Machinists Union, began calling in sick Thursday. They seek to bring their wages closer to those at other major airlines.

The Federal Aviation Administration requires a certain number of flight attendants on each plane, forcing TWA to cancel flights.

At least 200 travelers were stranded Saturday night, mostly in St. Louis. About 700 travelers were stranded at the peak of the sickout Thursday and Friday. On Christmas Day, 90 flights were canceled.

The flight attendants union and the company have been ordered back to the bargaining table January 18 by a national mediator, Brown said.

The inconvenienced travelers will receive frequent flier miles, Brown said.