strike plunged shopping and holiday trips into uncertainty.

Bermuda flights from New York and Raleigh-Durham arrived and departed carrying only freight yesterday before the airline commandeered enough flight attendants to send a full evening flight to the Island from Kennedy Airport.

In its first strike against American, the union representing 21,000 flight attendants set up picket lines in 40 US cities and said the strike would last 11 days.

It was the first major airline strike to disrupt flights to the Island in recent memory.

With the American Thanksgiving approaching on Thursday, tourism officials were eying the situation nervously.

Hoteliers were concerned, Bermuda Hotel Association president Mr. David Dodwell told The Royal Gazette .

American Airlines brought three 188-seat flights to Bermuda daily, and loss of those seats at Thanksgiving would be "significant,'' he said.

Tourism Director Mr. Gary Phillips expressed concern but took heart from the full flight which arrived last night.

This was the third and final weekend of annual November familiarisation trips to the Island for American travel agents, and the strike meant about 45 of the 175 agents expected did not arrive yesterday, he said. But the programme would go on as scheduled.

Local American Airlines general manager Mrs. Carole DeCouto said yesterday's 7 a.m. departure for New York took off on schedule with passengers, as the strike did not begin for another hour.

Beginning today, "I hope that they will be able to better handle this,'' but this morning's 7 a.m. departure for New York could be delayed, she said.

"What I'm surprised at is the decision that the flight attendants took,'' she said. "They literally have given up their jobs. They will be replaced, one at a time.'' Bermuda travel agents were deluged with calls from worried clients. Other airlines would honour American Airline tickets, but only if space was available and the American flight had been officially cancelled.

Local resident Mr. Michael Warren managed to make it back all right from a shopping trip in New York City.

He was on an American Airlines flight from New York City which touched down around 7.45 p.m. last night.

"Basically, I was on the plane in time,'' he said. "It was a bit late taking off and services were a bit slow.'' A Georgetown University party of 26, which included football players for their upcoming game here, was on the same flight.

Mr. Conan Louis, associate vice president for Alumni Relations said as he arrived, "We were supposed to be here about 1.20 p.m. but our flight this morning was cancelled. They put us on a 4.15 p.m. flight which did not leave until 5 p.m. Logistically it was certainly not what I expected, but I think the airline and our travel agent worked diligently to make sure we got here.'' Tourism Ministry officials were on hand at the airport to assist the party.

The last major disruption was when Pam American folded, but that was expected, and "this could be a lot worse,'' said Mr. J. Macrae Mitchell, vice-president of the travel division of L.P. Gutteridge Ltd. If pilots voted today to strike in sympathy, "you've got a complete shutdown.'' Mrs. Janet Robinson, senior corporate travel consultant at Meyer Travel, said travel agents were "pulling our hair out'' dealing with clients' queries.

"We are rebooking people only on a day-to-day basis,'' she said.

The union voted to strike just minutes after nearly round-the-clock negotiations broke down at 3 a.m.

"It is our intention to strike for 11 days in hopes of bringing the company to its senses and secure a decent contract for our 21,000 American Airlines members,'' said Ms Denise Hedges, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants.

The union said the strike would be within the time allowed by law under which they could not be permanently replaced.

The airline's parent company AMR, which recently emerged from a long period of heavy losses, has vowed to keep operating during the strike. It said it would probably start accepting applications Thursday for flight attendants.