America West Will Avoid Holiday Strike

America West Airlines Inc., the nation’s ninth-largest carrier, will avoid a strike by its flight attendants during the busy Christmas holiday travel season as contract negotiations proceed next week. The company said federal regulators called for talks through next Friday, denying a request by the Assn. of Flight Attendants union that the negotiations be terminated. The National Mediation Board’s decision to schedule the meetings means that the union won’t be able to call a strike before Christmas because the union must wait at least 30 days after being released from talks before striking. America West is prepared to continue the talks through December and remains confident that an agreement will be reached, said Stephen Johnson, a senior vice president at the Tempe, Ariz.-based airline. The two sides have been negotiating to come up with the union’s first labor contract since 1994, when the flight attendants voted to join the AFA. America West shares fell 31 cents to close $14.19 on the NYSE.