A pilots' strike affecting Allegiant Air is on hold, following a U.S. District Court decision to issue a temporary restraining order.



Pilots announced Wednesday they will not be flying regularly scheduled routes on Thursday from the airline's major hubs, including Sanford, St. Petersburg, Las Vegas and Phoenix.

The strike has the potential to ground more than 250 flights, impacting more than 33,000 customers.

It comes after 98 percent of the company's pilots, including those on reserve duty, voted in January to authorize a strike.

"Allegiant Air executives are pocketing millions while reducing benefits for pilots," said pilot Corey Berger. "The deterioration of the scheduling system alone is keeping pilots from seeing their families and many facing exhaustion. Striking is not an easy decision; it is a last resort, and because Allegiant executives are so unwilling to restore basic scheduling practices, we have been left no other option."

However, the company argued a strike would be illegal and violates the Railway Labor Act. The airline filed the temporary restraining order to stop the strike, calling it an irresponsible disruption to holiday travel for passengers.

Pilots posted an open letter to Allegiant customers Monday, alerting them of concerns that include operational problems leading to delays and cancellations.

Allegiant Air released the following statement Wednesday:

Allegiant Air has received a court order, pilots will resume flying.

A court in Las Vegas has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 1224, which represents the Allegiant pilots.

Allegiant has every reason to believe that the Teamsters will honor the court's instructions and will not be able to continue with their illegal intention to strike. This order will prevent a threatened pilots' strike which would have left potentially thousands of travelers with cancelled flights over the Easter holiday weekend. Based on this,

All scheduled Allegiant flights are expected to operate normally.

With the threat of an imminent strike over, Allegiant hopes that both parties can now focus on the next federally mediated negotiating session, scheduled for late April.