HONOLULU -- A federal judge in California on Thursday morning approved the sale of Aloha Airlines' Contract Services Division.

The unit employs about 1,100 people locally.

Pacific Air Cargo was the high bidder after offering to pay $2.2 million.

Founded in 2000, Pacific Air Cargo flies 747s, offering air cargo service between Los Angeles and Honolulu, as well as Guam and American Samoa.

Beti Ward owns the company. Pacific Business News voted her company Hawaii's No. 1 woman-owned business five years in a row between 2002 and 2006.

Aloha's contract services division serves more than 20 domestic and international air carriers in Hawaii, handling passenger check-in, baggage, mechanic work and other ground services.

Meanwhile, Aloha Airline pilots on Wednesday night voted to authorize a strike of Aloha's cargo division. However, the airline is fighting back.

The vote overwhelmingly passed, according to union officials.

Aloha is in the process of trying to sell its cargo operations.

"There is no legal justification for the pilots to strike," said Aloha Airlines spokesman Stu Glauberman.

The airline and the union have filed competing temporary restraining orders in bankruptcy court. A hearing on both requests has been set for Friday afternoon.

Aloha asked a bankruptcy judge to stop the pilots from striking, while the union is asking the judge to prevent the sale of Aloha's cargo division unless the most senior pilots are guaranteed jobs under the new owner.

Union members say they have tried to discuss their seniority issues with Aloha management, but the only communication they've received is the TRO request.

An Aloha spokesman said representatives of the National Mediation Board are in Honolulu to facilitate negotiations in the pilots' dispute. As of Thursday morning, no negotiations had been scheduled.