Industrial action by Aer Lingus pilots that has already seen 270 flights cancelled has begun.
The indefinite work-to-rule commenced at midnight with pilots now refusing to work overtime, accept changes to set rosters, or take on out-of-hours management requests.
An eight-hour strike is also planned for Saturday.
A message to our customers:
The Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA) has announced a strike on 29 June 2024 from 5am to 1pm, in addition to the existing work to rule action from 26 June. This will cause major disruption to our customers. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/T1LABKBMFg
— Aer Lingus (@AerLingus) June 21, 2024
The travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers have been affected, with the airline having been working to offer refunds or alternative flights to those whose trips have been axed.
At Terminal 2 of Dublin Airport on Wednesday morning, Aer Lingus passengers whose flights were not cancelled were in good spirits.
Audrey from Galway, who was headed to Bilbao with her family, said she had received an email on Saturday to say their flight was going ahead, which reassured them.
“But between last Wednesday and Saturday it was very upsetting, wondering whether we’d be able to go,” she said.
“It’s our one family holiday of the year and obviously we wanted it to go ahead because otherwise there would be a lot of consternation in the house. So we’re happy ours is going ahead, and feel sorry for anyone else who isn’t able to go today.”
She said they were flying back with Aer Lingus, and had an extra few days off before they returned to work.
“We’re just willing to wing it and see how we go. We had checked alternative flights and even ferries if this hadn’t gone ahead, just in case. But once we’re there, we’ll be happy,” she said.
“The thought of not getting there is the issue, but once you’re there you’re relaxed.”
Asked about whether she supported the industrial action, she said it seemed to her that there was a good offer on the table.
“I suppose I’m probably not as incredibly angry as someone whose flight has been cancelled, but I think it is difficult to sympathise with the pilots to be honest with you, because they are well paid to begin with,” she said.
Diarmuid, who is from Dublin and travelling to France, said the pilots “had to do it at some stage”.
“I can see the justification for it. If it’s an all-out strike then we’re in awful trouble, but this work-to-rule has allowed a certain amount of flow of passengers. I’d love more transparency from the company about profit levels,” he said.
Catherine, who is from Dublin but lives in Minnesota, in the US, said her flight was not affected, but that she had been “anxious” coming up to the flight.
“I think it’s rotten because it affects so many families going on holidays, but they do it because that’s the height of negotiations. I really feel for families,” she said.
“If you are making record profits, you should give back to the people who took a nosedive during Covid, but you also can’t be greedy.”
Read more here: https://t.co/f6pX8mNS1g
— Fórsa trade union (@forsa_union_ie) June 21, 2024
Another woman who is flying to the US said she had been anxious in the run up to Wednesday and had had a “wait-and-see approach”.
“I didn’t think they would resolve it, because I can’t see them getting what they want, truthfully. I feel sorry for the cabin crew and the ground crew,” she said.
Asked if she was flying back with Aer Lingus, she said “hopefully”.
A resolution to the bitter dispute over pay does not look imminent after the Irish Labour Court told both sides on Tuesday it will not be intervening at the present time.
The airline and the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (Ialpa), a branch of the Forsa trade union, have been involved in a heated exchange of words in recent days, with each accusing the other of not engaging.
The pilots are seeking a pay increase of 24%, which they say equates to inflation since the last pay rise in 2019.
Aer Lingus has said it is willing to offer pay increases of 12.5% or above if “improvements in productivity and flexibility” are discussed.
Both sides agreed to attend separate meetings at the Labour Court in Dublin on Tuesday to provide briefings on the industrial stand-off.
After its meeting, Aer Lingus said it was “disappointed” the court had assessed that it could not currently assist to bridge the gap between the sides.
“Aer Lingus has made it clear that it remains available for discussions both directly and through the state’s industrial relations framework,” the airline’s statement added.
“Aer Lingus will continue to focus on minimising the disruption caused to customers by Ialpa’s industrial action.
“Aer Lingus is calling upon Forsa/Ialpa to consider the damage that its continued industrial action is inflicting upon passengers, the company and the Irish economy.”
Emerging from the court, Ialpa president Mark Tighe made clear the action would proceed.
“The actions continue as they are notified and will continue until there is a resolution,” he said.
Irish premier Simon Harris has asked both sides to “dig deep” in an attempt to come to a resolution.
The Taoiseach said it is “absolutely vital” that both sides engage in talks to find a resolution.
“My challenge to the parties now is to bring that engagement forward, rather than putting people through a prolonged period of agony and chaos, and then engaging in the end anyway,” Mr Harris said on Tuesday.
“This dispute will be settled the same way every dispute is settled: compromise, engagement, sitting around a table. That’s what needs to happen.”
He said there would be “very little sympathy” for anybody involved in cancelling family holidays and disrupting the tourism sector if they are not engaging “intensively”.