Mesaba Airlines pilots have filed a lawsuit against their employer for the mishandling of contributions to their individual 401(k) retirement plans. According to documents filed with U.S. District court in Minneapolis today, the pilots allege Mesaba withheld money from their paychecks that was earmarked for their 401(k)s, but never actually deposited the money into the pilots' retirement accounts. "Mesaba has been deducting money from our paychecks that was supposed to go into our 401(k) accounts, but instead they've kept the money in the company's coffers," said Kris Pierson, Mesaba pilot and ALPA spokesman. In addition, the lawsuit alleges that Mesaba failed to make all of the matching contributions required under the plan, made certain other contributions outside of the l

America West Airlines has announced it has been informed by ALPA that its pilots have voted to ratify a three-year contract. America West Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker stated, "We are pleased with today's vote results and believe this represents an important step forward in the continuing transformation of our airline. The America West team is comprised of nearly 13,000 aviation professionals, and each employee has played a key role in our airline's turnaround. Our pilots have played an important role in our turnaround, and I applaud their efforts in running a great operation. I am also grateful for the professionalism and integrity displayed during the negotiation process."