Aer Lingus axe DOZENS more flights next week as pilots’ pay dispute rumbles on

AER Lingus has cancelled DOZENS of more flights next week as the ongoing pay dispute continues to cause travel havoc for customers.

The industrial dispute continues as pilots consider a Labour Court recommendation following Aer Lingus’ decision to accept it.

The airline has now confirmed the cancellation of 25 flights on Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 July.

More cancellations are expected be announced on Thursday.

In a statement, the Aer Lingus said: “Customers impacted by these latest cancellations will be given the option to change their flights for free. They will also be able to claim a refund or voucher.

“These options will be communicated directly to impacted customers as well as travel agents, while the Aer Lingus ‘Travel Advisory’ page will also have up to the minute information on all the options.

“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.”

Passengers could have to endure a wait of another week to find out the results of the Aer Lingus pilot vote after over 500 flights were cancelled.

More than 80,000 passengers have already been impacted by cancellations that have hit the strike-embattled airline.

Aer Lingus accepted a Labour Court recommendation to increase pilots’ pay by 17.75 per cent. 

But the recommendation is currently being considered by the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association – who have contacted the Labour Court with questions regarding the proposal.

After a meeting last night, the union said it would not be issuing a recommendation to its members at this time as it awaits a response to queries on some elements of the recommendation.

Speaking after the meeting, Captain Mark Tighe said there were a number of questions raised by members over the understanding of the Labour Court document.

He said: “All I can say is that their decision to accept it or not will depend on the reply from the Labour Court”.

He confirmed that there will be another meeting of executives to make a formal decision following a series of information meetings that will take place over five days, and an electronic ballot over three days.

Sources have said the pilots are likely to halt the strikes immediately if the deal is backed but will also insist that the airline reverses recent decisions including the suspension of perks.

Privileges suspended

Aer Lingus suspended travel privileges for pilots and their families in a move they said was to mitigate disruption to passengers.

Privileges including cheap tickets and altered sick leave were halted following a rise in absences.

If agreed, the pay deal would cover a four-year period from January 1 2023 to the end of 2026.

The pilots had initially been seeking a pay increase of 24 per cent, which they say equates to inflation since the last pay rise in 2019, but later admitted that they would be willing to consider a lower pay increase. 

FLIGHTS CANCELLED JULY 10

• Cork to London/Heathrow EI0724 8:30pm
• Dublin to Amsterdam EI0602 6:15am
• Dublin to Berlin/Brandenburg EI0332 6:40am
• Dublin to Birmingham EI0276 7:20pm
• Dublin to Brussels EI0638 5:55pm
• Dublin to Dusseldorf EI0698 5:30pm
• Dublin to Frankfurt EI0656 4:45pm
• Dublin to London/Heathrow EI0162 11:15am
• Dublin to London/Heathrow EI0182 7pm
• Dublin to Manchester EI0208 12:50pm
• Dublin to Munich EI0352 7:10am
• Dublin to New York EI0105 11:05am
• Dublin to Paris EI0526 1pm

FLIGHTS CANCELLED JULY 12

• Cork to London/Heathrow EI0724 8:30pm
• Dublin to Berlin/Brandenburg EI0332 06:40am
• Dublin to Brussels EI0638 5:55pm
• Dublin to Dusseldorf EI0698 5:30pm
• Dublin Frankfurt EI0656 4:45pm
• Dublin to London/Heathrow EI0162 11:15am
• Dublin to London/Heathrow EI0182 7:00pm
• Dublin to Manchester EI0208 12:50pm
• Dublin Munich EI0352 07:10am
• Dublin to New York (JFK) EI0107 4:45pm
• Dublin to Paris (CDG) EI0526 1:00pm

FLIGHTS CANCELLED JULY 14

• Cork to London/Heathrow EI0724 8:30pm
• Dublin to Berlin/Brandenburg EI0332 6:40am
• Dublin to Brussels EI0638 5:55pm
• Dublin to Dusseldorf EI0698 5:30pm
• Dublin to Frankfurt EI0656 4:45pm
• Dublin to Geneva EI0680 6:15am
• Dublin to London/Heathrow EI0162 11:15am
• Dublin to London/Heathrow EI0182 7:00pm
• Dublin to Lyon EI0552 12:55pm
• Dublin to Munich EI0352 7:10am
• Dublin to New York (JFK) 4:45pm
• Dublin to Paris (CDG) EI0526 1:00pm

FLIGHTS CANCELLED JULY 16

• Cork to London/Heathrow EI0724 8:30pm
• Dublin to New York (JFK) EI0107 4:45pm
• Dublin to London/Heathrow EI0162 11:15am
• Dublin to London/Heathrow EI0176 5:30pm
• Dublin to Manchester EI0208 12:50pm
• Dublin to Birmingham EI0262 6:30am
• Birmingham to Dublin EI0263 8:15am
• London/Heathrow to Cork EI0725 10:25pm
• London/Heathrow to Dublin EI0163 1:25pm
• London/Heathrow to Dublin EI0177 7:35pm
• Manchester to Dublin Ireland EI0209 2:25pm
• New York (JFK) to Dublin EI0106 9:05pm