Replacements Being Readied

Northwest Airlines flight attendants filed a petition with the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday voicing concerns that safety and security information was being released to nonemployees. Specifically, the complaint is aimed at trainees not yet hired by the airline.

Peter Fiske, a spokesman for the Professional Flight Attendants Association, said that "should raise concerns for the FAA and the flying public in a post-9/11 world."

Flight attendants asked the FAA to investigate the airline's contingency plans to replace them if they follow mechanics into a strike later this month. The PFAA has also asked a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order to stop the training.

Mediated talks between the airline and the mechanics began again on Tuesday in Washington DC. The airline says it will keep flying if the mechanics strike, which they'll be legally able to do on August 20th.

Pilots and flight attendants have not revealed what they'll do in the event of a mechanic strike. Northwest has been training replacement flight attendants and mechanics in case of a strike.

"If a union chooses to strike the carrier or engage in job actions with the intent of causing disruption at some point in the future, Northwest must be prepared to protect its operations," the company said in a statement. "Accordingly, Northwest has developed contingency plans including expanding vendor relationships and, in some cases, augmenting staff."

FMI: www.nwa.com