Summary Box: Flight Attendants at American seek declaration that talks are at an impasse

Summary Box: Flight attendants seek strike step

WHAT HAPPENED: Flight attendants at American Airlines say negotiations aren’t going anywhere, and they asked federal mediators to formally declare an impasse.

NEXT STEP: If federal officials agree, they will start a 30-day clock ticking. At the end of that, it’s possible the union could win permission to strike.

IS A STRIKE LIKELY? Not necessarily. Airlines and unions often make a deal close to a strike deadline. And that’s if federal officials even allow a strike. They have several mechanisms to block a strike if they want to.