image source, Getty Images/Nur Photo
Aer Lingus canceled 76 more flights between July 8 and July 10 due to the ongoing pilot strike.
The dispute has so far led to nearly 500 flight cancellations and disrupted the travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers.
Pilots initially demanded a 24% pay rise, arguing that their pay has not kept pace with high inflation since the last pay rise in 2019.
However, Aer Lingus is reportedly seeking changes to pilots’ working conditions before agreeing to any pay rise above 12.25%.
The Irish Labor Court is expected to issue a formal recommendation in a bid to end the Aer Lingus pilot pay dispute later on Wednesday.
The Labor Court is an independent organization that mediates workplace disputes and helps employers, unions and employees reach a resolution.
It is a “court of last resort”, which means that its services can only be used if the parties to the dispute have exhausted all other options first.
The labor court hears both sides of disputes about labor law relations in court, which takes place in private.
He will then issue a written recommendation stating the court’s opinion on how the dispute should be resolved.
Another cancellation
In a statement on Wednesday, Aer Lingus said it was canceling a further 76 flights between July 8 and July 10.
The airline said it was canceling flights “to continue to protect as much service as possible” from the ongoing protests.
“The implementation of these cancellations is to enable us to protect as many services as possible for as many of our customers as possible,” Aer Lingus said.
Details of the cancellation will be communicated to affected customers.
Endless work according to the rules
The pilots, who are represented by the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA), are holding an indefinite strike against the rules, which began on June 26.
This means that they do not work overtime or perform any other duties outside of working hours.
They threatened to step up industrial action after talks mediated by an employment tribunal failed last week.
However, the court requested that there be no escalation, and the pilots are considering this request in light of recent negotiations.
image source, PA/Evan Treacy
What should I do if my Aer Lingus flight is cancelled?
Aer Lingus said customers affected by the latest cancellations would be able to change their flights free of charge.
They will also be able to request a refund or voucher, the airline said.
These options will be communicated directly to affected customers.
“Aer Lingus fully understands the concerns customers feel due to the uncertainty caused by the IALPA industrial action and is providing affected customers with as many options as possible,” the airline said.
How did we get here?
This is a long-running pay dispute, but here are some of the key things that have happened in recent days.
- 25 June 2024 – Separate hearings with Aer Lingus and Ialpa held at the Irish Employment Tribunal
- June 26, 2024 – Indefinite pilot work on the government begins.
- June 26, 2024 – The airline issued an invitation for interviews to Ialpa on Wednesday after the pilots started working on the Govt.
- 27 June 2024 – Talks between Ialpa and Aer Lingus to resolve ongoing pay dispute break down without resolution
- 28 June 2024 – Aer Lingus confirms it is canceling a further 122 flights due to the ‘indefinite nature’ of Ialpa pilots’ industrial action
- 29 June 2024 – Pilots take part in eight-hour strike action
- 1 July 2024 – The Labor Court facilitates eight hours of fresh talks between the two sides and confirms it will exercise its right to intervene in the dispute
- 2 July 2024 – Aer Lingus and the pilots’ union have been given until close of work on Tuesday to make their final written submissions to the employment tribunal.