Spirit pilots file lawsuit, claim airline violating contract

The Air Line Pilots Association, representing the more than 500 Spirit Airlines pilots, filed suit Wednesday alleging the Miramar-based air carrier is violating its 2003 labor contract.

The pilots' complaint was filed in the federal court in eastern Michigan, where the airline is formally registered with the Federal Aviation Administration. It follows the National Mediation Board's decision earlier this week to turn down the union's request for release from labor negotiations -- a scenario that could have made way for a strike.

The lawsuit asks the court for immediate relief from changes it says the airline made to pilots' pay and working conditions. It also alleges that the company is dealing in "bad faith" and trying to avoid the collective bargaining process. A union leader also said the group is seeking monetary damages.

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