American Airlines' flight attendants prepare to strike

FILE PHOTO: An American Airlines commercial aircraft approaches to land at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California U.S. January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

(Reuters) - A union representing flight attendants for American Airlines Group said on Thursday they are preparing to strike after contract negotiations with the carrier failed to produce an agreement this week.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), which represents about 28,000 American Airlines flight attendants, said after a year of mediated talks with the National Mediation Board, the airline did not come to an agreement that was favorable to the workers.

The flight attendants say they have not had a pay raise in more than five years and have endured a lot since the pandemic.

American Airlines said in an emailed statement to Reuters that it will continue to negotiate with the flight attendants so that they benefit from the contract.

"This agreement is within reach and we look forward to additional dates being scheduled," the airline spokesperson said.

The current round of negotiations started in January 2020, but was paused at the height of the pandemic. Talks resumed in June 2021.

Earlier this month, the airline had offered its flights attendants immediate wage increases of 17% in their new contract, which was later unanimously rejected by the APFA.

(Reporting by Harshita Meenaktshi in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)