Strike Shuts Down Aeromexico Flights

Striking flight attendants Friday shut down Mexico's leading airline Aeromexico, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and handing President Vicente Fox a dilemma in his first big labor dispute.

Trade union leaders said the strike over pay received full support and would ground more than 300 daily domestic and international flights, affecting 25,000 to 30,000 passengers at airports across Mexico and abroad, including Los Angeles, Ontario, Orange County and San Diego.

Seven of Aeromexico's nine scheduled flights in and out of Los Angeles International Airport were canceled Friday, an Aeromexico spokeswoman in Houston said. The 500 passengers affected were put on other flights or provided hotel accommodations.

The strike began at midnight Thursday when marathon negotiations broke down between the airline and the union representing 1,500 flight attendants.