Alaska Airline Workers Delay Las Vegas Flight

SEATTLE - Four more Alaska Airlines flight attendants have been suspended, pending an investigation, for walking off the job just before a flight departure in Las Vegas at 4:35 p.m. yesterday. Their action held up the flight to Seattle for about 140 passengers until about 8 p.m.

Three others were suspended after a similar walkoff in Seattle last Friday. A company spokesman said the suspended flight attendants are being paid.

The action to disrupt Alaska flights is being taken to protest the flight attendants' lack of a labor contract. Their union, the Association of Flight Attendants, has been negotiating with the company since 1990.

At issue are work rules, cost-sharing of medical benefits, union membership and other provisions. Talks between the union and the company have been recessed but are to resume Friday.