AIRLINES

American Airlines Defers Vacations: The carrier said it took the action on November vacations for its flight attendants due to the threat of a strike. “We’re not canceling them, we’re deferring them, and we will reschedule them,” spokesman Tim Kincaid said. American Airlines Inc. is owned by AMR Corp. Kincaid said the airline wants to “augment manpower” in the event of a strike. A federal mediator last month declared a 30-day cooling-off period for the airline and its 21,000 flight attendants following their inability to negotiate a new contract. Officials of the Assn. of Professional Flight Attendants have said they are planning a strike for mid-November if needed.