Airlines strike enters its third day, says the local general manager.

"As I speak, I have no hopes of getting a flight out tomorrow at all,'' Mrs.

Carole DeCouto told The Royal Gazette last night.

The 7 a.m. departure for New York would definitely not fly with passengers today, and the second New York and one Raleigh-Durham departure scheduled did not look hopeful, she said.

Those holding American Airlines tickets for today should defer travel or try to get on another carrier, she said. "I have suspicions though that a lot of people have already done that.'' The 21,000-member Association of Professional Flight Attendants began a planned 11-day strike on Wednesday. Travel chaos has resulted from the biggest airline strike in five years.

The Allied Pilots Association last night voted not to strike in sympathy.

Meanwhile, the Bermuda Industrial Union said last night its members who work at the Airport would take a "hands-off'' approach to all American Airlines flights entering and leaving Bermuda.

"We advise a prompt settlement as continued confrontation may bring American Airlines to the same fatal end as...Eastern Airlines,'' which was struck three years ago and is now defunct, BIU president Mr. Ottiwell Simmons MP said in a letter to American chairman Mr. Robert Crandall.

Up until last night, American Airlines had been able to place all ticketed Bermuda passengers on other carriers, but that would not likely be possible today, Mrs. DeCouto said.

Only one departure went out with passengers yesterday, and that was the afternoon flight to Raleigh-Durham. Because many passengers had switched to other airlines, it did not even go out full, she said.

Unlike Thursday night, last night's arrival from New York came in without passengers. Mrs. DeCouto was not predicting an early end to the strike. "Both sides have got their backs to the wall now,'' she said. "I really feel that it's gone beyond where either party will want to return to the bargaining table.'' She said about 40 percent of the airline's flights were operating, but "it's difficult to try to get the 40 percent that are flying.'' Associated Press reported that American appeared to be focussing on flying passengers between its main hub at Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport and Miami, New York, Chicago, and London.

Apologising for the inconvenience, Mrs. DeCouto said passengers had been very understanding and her staff was working "extremely hard'' to accommodate everyone.