Aloha pilots seek restraining order

Aloha Airlines pilots are seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent the sale of Aloha's cargo operations before the company's labor issues are resolved.

The pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in federal bankruptcy court in Honolulu on Monday.

The filings ask a bankruptcy judge to make any sale of Aloha's cargo operations contingent on Aloha abiding by the ALPA-Aloha contract, ALPA said.

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Aloha fired all but 40 of its 312 pilots when it ceased operations March 31. The remaining pilots are flying for Aloha's profitable cargo operation, which is up for sale as part of the carrier's March bankruptcy.

ALPA said Aloha is scheduled to sell its cargo operations this Friday.

The pilots said last week that they would strike if an agreement wasn't made about which pilots should fly the cargo planes by April 26. But Aloha pilots are scheduled to meet Wednesday to conduct a strike authorization vote. The strike, if approved, may begin following the vote.

ALPA alleges that Aloha has ignored the pilots' contract by terminating pilots out of seniority order, recalling pilots out of seniority order, terminating the pilots' health plans and failing to respect job security provisions that require a prospective buyer to employ the pilots in seniority order and others.

Aloha Airlines spokesman Stu Glauberman said the company did not have an immediate comment.