Pilots at American Airlines have voted to authorise a strike over contracts.
The Allied Pilots Association said on Monday that more than 96% of its 15,000 members voted, and among those who did, 99% favoured authorising the union to call for a strike.
Although a walkout is highly unlikely due to federal laws prohibiting airline unions from striking without the approval of a US meditation board, it puts more pressure on the airline to reach a new contract with the pilots' union.
