Aloha Airline pilots have fi led for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in US Bankruptcy Court as they prepare for a strike authorisation vote.
The pilots’ union said it asked the court to make any sale of Aloha’s cargo operations contingent on the carrier abiding by the terms of the pilots’ contract.
The airline that fi led for bankruptcy and then closed down its passenger operations in end-March is in the process of finding a buyer for its profitable air cargo division. Pacifi c Air Cargo has expressed high interest in Aloha’s contract services division.
The Air Line Pilots Association wants the airline to use seniority to determine which pilots will be used for cargo flights, contending the company wants to use existing cargo pilots, who have less seniority.
Aloha disputed the union’s contention that it is failing to respect pilot seniority. Aloha still flies 85 per cent of the state’s air cargo, including all mail to and from Maui and the Big Island.