Hoteliers call for swift end to Aer Lingus row

Hoteliers joined calls for a swift end to the Aer Lingus pay row as it emerged on Monday that the pilots’ trade union has sought a meeting with company.

Members of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (Ialpa) plan an open-ended work to rule from Wednesday and an eight hour strike on Saturday morning, sparking 244 flight cancellations, as they pursue a claim for a 23.88 per cent pay rise.

Tourists have been cancelling hotel bookings, according to one of the industry’s key lobby groups, which is demanding a quick end to the dispute.

Michael Magner, president of the Irish Hotels Federation, called for a suspension of industrial action and for both sides to “engage positively” in the interests of passengers and visitors to the country

An Ialpa spokesman confirmed that the union wrote to Aer Lingus at the weekend seeking to meet but had yet to receive a response.

The union has also asked Aer Lingus to release its negotiators, who are on flying duty, to allow the pair’s representatives meet as they prepare for this week’s industrial action.

Hoteliers are the latest to call on the sides to resolve their differences, joining Government and opposition politicians, among others.

Meanwhile Ialpa has contacted its international federation to seek assistance for Aer Lingus crews returning home Saturday as it prepares to strike on that day and this week’s work to rule.

The Irish organisation has asked the International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Associations to aid crews returning from London and Rome along with several North American airports.

[ Aer Lingus cancelled flights: Full list of more than 200 services disrupted due to industrial action ]

[ Q&A: What are my rights and what happens if my flight is cancelled ]

The news follows a weekend during which the rift between the sides appeared to widen further with the union accusing the company of antagonising members and officials.

Both have said publicly that they remain willing to meet to resolve the row, which has been building since early this year.

Pilots argue that their claim is reasonable in light of inflation and pay rates in equivalent airlines, the company has branded it exorbitant.

Aer Lingus has cancelled 124 flights over five days from Wednesday, June 26th, to minimise the work to rule’s consequences.

The airline subsequently said it would cancel 120 services on Saturday morning, June 29th, as a consequence of the eight-hour strike that the union plans between 5am and 1pm on that day.

It will reschedule some transatlantic flights originally timed for that day.

Aer Lingus is offering passengers who have booked between Wednesday June 26 and Tuesday July 2nd the options of cancelling their flights in exchange for refunds or altering them free of charge.

Ialpa’s work to rule severely limits flexibility, hindering the airline in operating its full summer schedule, consequently it decided to cancel 124 flights over the first five days of the action. The company said this was to “preserve as many services as possible”.