Spirit, ALPA agree to uphold restraining order on pilots

Spirit Airlines said it has reached an agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association to indefinitely extend a temporary restraining order compelling Spirit’s pilots to cease what the carrier has called “a pervasive illegal work slowdown.” Spirit filed a lawsuit May 8 against ALPA, which represents Spirit’s nearly 1,600 pilots, asking for a “preliminary injunction compelling an immediate end to this illegal work slowdown” that the airline said cost it US$8.5m in the first 8 days of the month. A breakdown in labour contract negotiations in late April was followed, Spirit alleged, by pervasive pilot unavailability leading to about 15% of its flight schedule being canceled in the first week of May. The court issued the temporary restraining order May 9 and ordered a motion for a hearing on a preliminary injunction. <br/>