Strike at American

After American Airlines started its non-stop transcontinental service nine months ago, it went to the Civil Aeronautics Board for permission to boost the maximum flight time for air crews from eight to ten hours. American's new Douglas DC-7s could easily make the eastbound flight within the time limit, but strong prevailing winds at high altitudes often held westbound flights in the air for nine hours or more. American had no trouble getting permission from the CAB, which already had a more liberal rule for transoceanic flights. But last week the biggest U.S. airline ran into plenty of trouble from its own pilots.

After weeks of fruitless negotiation, 1,200 American pilots belonging to the A.F.L. Air Line Pilots Association went out on strike to protect the long-standing eight-hour rule. The well-paid airmen ($19,000 a year for a first pilot) claimed that the extra flying time was a threat to passenger safety. While its planes were grounded, American scrambled to find space on other airlines and trains for the 20,300 passengers it normally flies daily between 90 terminals on 385 flights. In Manhattan, American President C. R. Smith said that the strike was a clear breach of contract, and that he would sue for daily damages (about $500,000) if the pilots did not agree to arbitration. Meanwhile, United Air Lines and T.W.A., which have the same eight-hour time-limit trouble on their westbound nonstop flights, were anxiously plugging for a speedy settlement before the strike spread to them.

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