Aer Lingus workers are set to strike and more than a hundred flight routes have been canceled as a result, with union bosses pushing for a 24% pay rise to be approved for flight crew members
British holidaymakers are facing chaos as a major airline has canceled hundreds of flights to and from the UK.
Union leaders are calling for a 24% pay rise for their members to return to work, just days before the peak season begins. The Irish Air Line Pilot’s Association (Ialpa) has confirmed that strikes will take place affecting routes across the Irish Sea, with 122 Aer Lingus flights cancelled between July 3 and 7.
A total of 122 flights had also been canceled over the following seven days, with Dublin Airport hit hard by the strikes as routes to the UK were removed from Aer Lingus’ reduced schedule.
Talks between Ialpa and Aer Lngus stalled last week before an agreement was reached on the pay settlement, with the union demanding a 24% increase in salaries in line with inflation. Officials pointed to Aer Lingus’s 400% “profit increase” as the basis for the pay increase. But the airline has insisted the most it can offer is 12.25%.
Anything higher would come from savings resulting from changing working conditions, according to Aer Lingus officials. Head office Donal Moriarty says they have been “working constructively with the unions” but have canceled more than 100 flights as the dispute continues.
Chief Moriarty said: “We have tried to discuss issues that could actually resolve this dispute, in particular we have tried to discuss productivity, flexibility and the modernisation of our collective agreement. We have advised IALPA and encouraged them to review that mandate to bring the normal aspect of wage negotiations within their remit.”
Aer Lingus today announced cancellations due to ongoing strikes and offered customers free flight changes or vouchers for their future travel, with claims for a refund or voucher available for those affected, The Sun reported. Their announcement read: “To continue to protect as many services as possible from the impact of Ialpa’s ongoing industrial action, Aer Lingus has had to take the step of canceling an additional 122 flights over the course of Wednesday 3 July to Sunday 7 July. inclusive).
“Implementing these cancellations is to enable us to protect as many services as possible for as many of our customers as possible. These cancellations will be implemented today and details will be communicated to affected customers.”
An Aer Lingus spokesperson added: “Aer Lingus fully understands the anxiety customers are experiencing given the uncertainty caused by Ialpa’s industrial action, and is providing affected customers with as many options as possible.” Ialpa’s official Twitter/X account has since confirmed the strike action, saying workers deserve to “protect their purchasing power.”
Their statement read: “More than 500 IALPA Aer Lingus pilots gathered at a picket outside Dublin Airport this morning during an 8-hour strike. Aer Lingus pilots deserve to have their purchasing power protected. IALPA president Captain Mark Tighe said earlier: “The company has not wavered from its statement that anything above 12.25% should be funded by pilots’ own payments through employment practices.”