U.S., April 17 -- Pilots of Allegiant Air, represented by Teamsters Local 2118, have formally requested that the National Mediation Board (NMB) release them from the current mediation process with the airline.

Should this request be approved, the NMB may propose binding arbitration to address the outstanding issues between Allegiant and its Teamsters pilots. If either side opts out of arbitration, a 30-day "cooling-off" period will commence, after which the pilots would be legally permitted to strike. In November of last year, Allegiant pilots overwhelmingly voted-by 97 percent-to authorize a strike, reflecting significant dissatisfaction with the company's ongoing delays and its unwillingness to tackle essential issues.

"Since we began...