Heads up for all you traveling lizards…

American Airlines Pilots Plan Chaos If Mediation Fails

The union that represents American Airlines pilots says it’s conducting drills, preparing to disrupt the airline’s flight schedule if federal mediation fails to bring a new contract agreement with management.

Union President Lloyd Hill said his group has decided against an all-out strike that would shut down the airline completely. Instead, the union is instead looking at a strategy to create random disruption and chaos at the nation’s second largest airline, he said.

“If I were the company, I wouldn’t be underestimating what’s going on,” he said.

The union’s decision to talk about its post-mediation plans appears designed to send a message to the Obama administration.

Union leaders said they believe it’s more likely they’ll be released from federal mediation if the administration understands the union will not call a general strike that would shut down the entire airline, interfering with interstate commerce.

Without a release from mediation, any strike action the union takes would be a violation of federal law.

The company reminded the union of that fact in a statement.