Aer Lingus resumes full services after industrial action

Aer Lingus is resuming a full service following the cancellation of 610 flights over the last three weeks due to industrial action by pilots.

A total of 573 of the cancellations were pre-planned, and there were a further 37 ‘on the day’ cancellations.

Last week, the Irish Airline Pilots Association (IALPA) suspended a work-to-rule at the airline as it recommended acceptance of Labour Court proposals aimed at resolving its pay dispute with Aer Lingus.

IALPA is currently holding a series of meetings with members before conducting a ballot of pilots, which will open tomorrow and close on Tuesday 23 July.

The Labour Court recommendation includes a 17.75% pay increase for pilots over a four-year period.

Although the industrial action was suspended last Wednesday night, Aer Lingus had already cancelled flights up until yesterday, a move which it said could not be reversed.

Today is the first day of full service since the work-to-rule began on 26 June.

IALPA members also engaged in an eight-hour strike on 29 June.

The 573 flight cancellations impacted around 82,000 passengers.

As well as pay increases, the Labour Court recommendation also proposes the ending of 2022 pay scales, the scrapping of a crewing agreement on rostering and summer leave, and the termination of a debt owed by pilots to the company as part of that agreement.