Aer Lingus cancels 25 more flights while pilots consider pay recommendation
Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA
Aer Lingus has cancelled 25 more flights next week as pilots’ industrial dispute continues while a pay recommendation is being considered.
The airline has cancelled 25 flights next Monday and Tuesday and will be contacting the customers who are affected.
It also said more cancellations would be announced on Thursday.
The announcement comes as pilots’ industrial action continues while they consider a 17.75 per cent pay increase recommended by the Labour Court.
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled in the two weeks since their industrial action began, which has affected thousands of holidaymakers’ plans.
The pilots’ industrial action involves an indefinite work-to-rule, which began at the end of June, and an eight-hour strike on one Saturday amid the busy summer period.
The Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (Ialpa), a branch of the Forsa trade union, said it would continue its work-to-rule action while it sought clarifications from the Labour Court on the recommendations.
Aer Lingus said those affected by flight cancellations will be given the option to change their flights for free, to claim a refund or voucher.
Customers can check the flights affected on the Aer Lingus Travel Advisory page.
“Aer Lingus fully understands the anxiety being experienced by customers given the uncertainty caused by Ialpa’s industrial action and is giving impacted customers as many options as possible,” it said.
The airline said the industrial relations dispute had been “enormously damaging both financially and reputationally”.
The pilots had initially sought a pay increase of 24 per cent, which they said equated to inflation since the last pay rise in 2019.
They had previously rejected a Labour Court recommendation for pay increases of 9 per cent, but the pilots’ group has suggested it will consider a pay increase below the 24 per cent figure.
Its members are to be balloted on the Labour Court’s recommendation in the coming days.
