Aer Lingus resumes full service as pilots sit out duty as per regulations – Clonmore

By Cate McCurry, PA

Aer Lingus resumed full flight operations on Wednesday after the airline cancelled more than 600 flights in recent weeks due to strikes by its pilots.

Aer Lingus cancelled 25 flights on Monday and Tuesday, adding to hundreds of other cancellations over the past three weeks.

The airline announced that it plans to implement its full flight schedule starting Wednesday.

Last week, members of the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (Ialpa) suspended the go-slow strike that began at the end of June.

This happened while pilots were due to vote on a 17.75 percent collective agreement, based on an employment tribunal recommendation to resolve a long-standing dispute with Aer Lingus over pay.

The salary increases will extend over the period from 2022 to 2026.

IALPA will hold a series of meetings with members and hold a vote on pilots for six days starting Thursday.

Aer Lingus welcomed the decision of the Ialpa leadership to recommend the deal to its members.

“Aer Lingus welcomes IALPA’s decision to suspend industrial action,” it said.

“Prior to this announcement, it was necessary to cancel some flights to minimise disruption to customers whose travel was planned up to and including 16 July.

“All affected customers have now been contacted and, where possible, accommodated on alternative flights.

“All Aer Lingus regional flights (operated by Emerald Airlines) and Aer Lingus UK transatlantic flights to and from Manchester will continue to operate.

“We plan to operate our full flight schedule from July 17. For the most up-to-date flight information for the current day, please visit our flight status tool or mobile app.

The pilots had originally demanded a salary increase of 24 percent, which they said corresponds to the rate of inflation since the last salary increase in 2019.

In a speech last week, IALPA President Mark Tighe said, “While we haven’t quite discussed inflation, we expect pilots to be 19.2 percent better off in two years than they were before – which is roughly the same as the rate of inflation.”

“We recommend it because we believe it is a deal that the pilots can hopefully accept.”