Judge Orders Comair, Pilots to Delay Contract Deadline

CINCINNATI_A federal bankruptcy judge on Thursday ordered Comair and the union representing its 1,500 pilots to extend their deadline for reaching an agreement on wage cuts and other concessions until Feb. 9, the airline and union said.

Judge Adlai Hardin of U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York ordered the extension at a hearing Thursday afternoon and did not issue any ruling on Comair's request that he block a strike or other job actions by pilots if Comair imposes concessions. He asked both sides to delay any action to allow him additional time to consider Comair's request.

The pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, have authorized union leaders to call a strike if a contract agreement is not reached and concessions are imposed.

Hardin ruled in December that Comair, a Delta Air Lines Inc. subsidiary, could impose concessions if the two sides didn't reach a deal.

Two days before the original Dec. 30 deadline for reaching a deal on wage cuts and other changes, the two sides agreed to resume talks and postpone the deadline until Feb. 2. Talks were continuing Thursday even as both sides went back to court on the eve of that deadline.

The judge did not indicate Thursday when he would rule on Comair's motion.