Airline Continues To Fly Despite Mechanics' Strike

While Northwest Airlines continues to say it is weathering the AMFA mechanics' strike virtually unaffected, a recorded telephone statement from the carrier indicates the airline could cancel as many as 400 of this week's 9,900 flights worldwide. That would be about three times the number it had to cancel during the same period last year.

As NWA continues flying with non-union mechanics, the FAA is watching. The agency has increased the number of inspectors monitoring the airline from 46 to 80, according to FAA spokesman Greg Martin. But the union that represents FAA inspectors, PASS, put the number at 21 and said ten of those had been pulled off to monitor maintenance operations at other airlines, according to the Associated Press.

Still, the airline continued to put on a brave face during the first two days of the strike. While admitting there were some initial delays, NWA spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch told the AP, "We have brought those numbers down substantially during the course of the weekend, and continue to make progress in reducing both numbers. Our operating performance since AMFA called their strike has been similar to other weekends and Mondays during the month of August."

But union leaders have said they think the situation will get worse with time, in spite of the 1,900 replacement workers brought in by the airline to cover for the 4,400 mechanics who walked out early Saturday morning.

FMI: www.nwa.com