Evening star., 1946-10-21
5000 Stranded
AsTWAPiots
Begin WaIkout
All Trips Cancelled
As 400 Flyers
Quit Around World

fllOIS O1 1TdIlS-WO AlTll1leS
went on strike early today for
higher pay, grounding planes
throughout the company's do
mestic and overseas routes.
All scheduled flights, more than
80, were Cancelled for "a hours,
leaving an estimated 5000 passen-
gers stranded at airports Other
airlines were not affected, and seats
on their planes were found for some
of the stalled travellers.
Approximately 1,400 flyers of the
AFL Airline Pilots Association were
reported to have walked out, TWA,
the fourth largest United States air.
line, has routes totaling more than
28,270 miles.
1t was the first pilots strike in
commercial aviation history. Other
airlines were not affected.
Ask S15,300 a Year.
During recent negotiations COM
pany officials said the salaries de-
manded by the union would amount
to $15,300 year for pilot flying
a four-engine plane 20 hours week.
TWA formerly Transcontinental
and Western Air) has 28,270 miles
of routes in this country and Eu-
rope and employs approximately
1,400 pilots.
The Associated Press reported
from New York that all TWA do
mestic flights out of La Guardia
Field had been Cancelled for period
of "a hours.
A flight due to leave Washington
for Los Angeles at 9:45 am. was
Cancelled when the company got in
touch with the pilot and co-pilot
and found they would not take the
ship out.
u. S. May Take Over Line.
Some Government officials and
officers of TWA mentioned the pos
sibility that the Government might
take over the airline, in view of the
large amount of mail which it car
ries and other public interests in
volved.
Oswald Ryan, acting chairman OF
the Civilian Aeronautics Board,
planned to take up the strike with
the board some time today.
David L. Behncke, president of the
pilots union, said the strike had
been called as last recourse" after
a futile effort for a year to settle
the wage dispute.
Mr.. Behncke said the union was
demanding pay rates ranging from
$980.31 to S1.096.98 month for pi-
lots of four-engine Skymasters
and S1,o70.76 TO si,f87.43 for those
flying Consultations.
Union Claims Backing.
"The STRIKE" he added, involves
only first pilots and co-pilots, but it
has the full moral support of the
country's organized airline pilots
and the complete sanction of the
unions Central Executive Council"
In July a presidential fact-finding
board asked for a $3.50 increase in
the $1,000 annual base pay for pilots
of all types, with adjustments in the
hourly and mileage rates paid those
taking four-engined planes on do
mestic and overseas routes.
Jack Frye, TWA president, said
the recommendations called for an
increase up to 36 per cent for pilots
of the larger ships and these already
had been placed in effect. This was
disputed by the union, which con-
tended that the scale provided by
the panel meant a pay reduction Of
PAT per cent for some pilots and
was 12l per cent less, on the aver
age, than the company previously
had offered.
Ultimatum Served.
Mr.. Frye said yesterday that on
Saturday the union had served a
30-hour ultimatum on him, threat
ening to strike today unless its de-
mands were met.
At Kansas City. the main Office
of TWA, a picket line had been
thrown around its maintenance
shops at the airport. No pickets
had appeared at the National Air
port early today.
Shortly after II am, several hours
after the strike started, a TWA
plane from Kansas City arrived at
National Airport on regular fight.
1t left Kansas City at 4:35 am. The
pilot, Arthur v. Dunlop of Kansas
City, explained that he took off "a
minutes before the deadline, and so
he had completed the flight.
Three other incoming and four
outgoing flights were scheduled here
today No. decision regarding all
these flights was announced by the
company, though Mr.. Bell said the
departure of the next plane, due to
leave for the West at Ills pm, was
very doubtful"
The San Francisco Office of TWA
still was accepting reservations for
flights South and East.
In addition to 80 domestic flights
(See pm OTIS. Page A-40