A Federal bankruptcy judge allowed Northwest's flight attendants to strike on Thursday, with the airline vowing that it would appeal the decision.

Judge Allan Gropper in New York wrote in a decision that he had no legal authority to compel the flight attendants union not to strike.

The union warned that a strike could begin as early as August 25 if a new compensation arrangement was not reached. The union currently has about 9,000 members.

Now, Northwest management has one more chance, said Mollie Reiley, interim head of the Association of Flight Attendants. They have the choice to either set greed aside for once and agree to a fair and equitable contract, or they will face CHAOS.

CHAOS, or Create Havoc Around Our System, is a program used by union to implement periodic work stoppages that could target specific flights with a minimum duration of 20 minutes.

The Minneapolis-based airliner had argued that the strike would put 34,000 jobs at risk and increase the chances of being force into liquidation. The firm aimed to obtain a savings of $195 through its negotiation with the union.

While we are disappointed with Judge Gropper's ruling and will appeal it, we remain committed to continuing to serve our customers professionally and transporting them to their destinations safely and reliably,' said Northwest Chief Executive Doug Steenland. "Our customers can continue to book Northwest with confidence.