Travelers May Be Forced to Wing It

Negotiators for American Airlines and its pilots union worked Monday to avert a strike that could begin Saturday morning. If negotiations fail, the airline says, it will shut down. That would leave thousands of travelers stranded or forced to stay home and about 75,000 employees out of work.

Here is some advice on how to handle the situation if you’re planning on flying American or just wondering about the impact of the strike on your travel plans.

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Q: I’ve got tickets for an American flight on Saturday. What happens if the pilots strike?

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A: American says its shutdown will be immediate, at 12:01 a.m. EST, and complete, and that includes the Eagle commuter operation. Its pilots aren’t part of the action, but Eagle depends upon a passenger feed from American flights and uses the same reservations and ground support.

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Q: So I’ll have to fly another airline. Will that be a problem?

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A: It could be. American is the nation’s largest domestic airline, and the second-largest overall, after United. Its 2,000 flights a day account for one in five departures. It carries about 200,000 passengers a day. In short, it won’t be easy to replace.

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Q: Can’t other airlines add flights?

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A: They can add some, but airlines have very few planes sitting around idle. And, even if they had hangars full of planes and crews to fly them, they still would have to make hasty arrangements for additional gate space and landing slots, or times. That may not be possible now.

Only one of American’s major competitors, TWA, was talking seriously Monday about putting a couple more planes in the air if American is struck. Spokesman John McDonald said TWA would make a decision later in the week.

American says it will try to help people re-book. The company’s toll-free telephone number is (800) 433-7300.

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Q: At least it’s not Christmas week, right?

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A: Right, but the timing is still not good. Because of Presidents Day, many families have planned trips, travel agents say.

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Q: So, there’s no time to lose if I want to make other arrangements?

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A: None. In fact, travel agents, United Airlines and TWA say they’re already getting lots of extra calls from American ticket holders interested in re-booking.

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Q: If I can get a seat on another airline, will it take my American ticket?

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A: Yes, but not necessarily at the same fare. Airlines don’t have to, particularly if you got your American ticket at a super discount.

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Q: If airline reservations lines are busy, can I use my personal computer to make arrangements on other airlines?

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A: Not really. Unless you have special software intended for frequent fliers or corporate travel arrangers, all you’ll find on Web sites, such ashttps://www.UAL.com or https://www.USAIR.com, is basic flight information--nothing about seat availability or fare information.