American Airlines Looks to Have Averted Pilots Strike Ahead of Busy Summer

American Airlines, the largest U.S. carrier, appears to have skirted a nightmare scenario of a pilots strike during its busy summer season. The Dallas-based airline has reached a tentative contract deal in principle with its pilots after years of tense negotiations, the Allied Pilots Association said Friday.

Details of the agreement will be released in the coming days, the union said.

The union had voted to authorize a strike if an agreement could not be reached.

American CEO Robert Isom had said earlier this year that he was prepared to offer pilots a 40% pay increase over a four-year contract period.

American didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Back in March, Delta Air Lines became the first major U.S. carrier to reach a new labor deal with its 15,000 pilots. It agreed to a cumulative 34% pay increase and other benefits related to quality of life issues.

Earlier this week, American put out a statement assuring customers it was prepared for the onslaught of travelers this summer. "The airline is doubling down on operational reliability and has invested in new technology to get customers on their way faster. Between May 25 and August 14, American expects more than 52 million customers."