Dozens of UK flights axed as Aer Lingus pilots go on strike
Passengers have been warned of dozens of cancelled flights after Aer Lingus pilots announced industrial action over pay.
The Irish airline confirmed that dozens of flights to and from the UK will be cancelled as the pilots strike continues.
Hundreds of Aer Lingus pilots marched at Dublin Airport on Saturday, holding placards and banners before setting up a picket line at a roundabout near the travel hub’s entrance.
It comes after the dispute over a pay increase of 24%, which pilots argue equates to inflation since the last pay rise five years ago.
While the union Ialpa formally accepted an invitation to talks and agreed not to escalate the action for now, it said Saturday’s strike and the work-to-rule would continue, AP news agency reports.
But the airline said it has decided to cancel 122 additional flights between Wednesday, July 3 and Sunday, July 7, MailOnline reports citing the company.
It said customers ‘impacted by these latest cancellations’ will have the option to change their flights for free, and they will be ‘able to claim a refund or voucher.’
The airline apologised to passengers for the ‘serious disruption’ caused by the industrial action.
All cancelled Aer Lingus UK flights
Here is a list of all the axed flights to and from the UK over the coming days.
Cancelled Aer Lingus flights
The following flights departing UK will be cancelled.
Sunday, 30 June
Birmingham (BHX) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0277, departure at 20:50:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0169, 16:50:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0183, 21:10:00
Manchester (MAN) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0209, 14:25:00
Monday, July 1
Birmingham (BHX) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0277, 20:50:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Cork (ORK), Ireland, EI0725, 22:25:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0167, 15:50:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0183, 21:10:00
Manchester (MAN) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0209, 14:25:00
Tuesday, July 2
Birmingham (BHX) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0263, 08:15:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Cork (ORK), Ireland, EI0725, 22:25:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0163, 13:25:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0177, 19:35:00
Manchester (MAN) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0209, 14:25:00
Wednesday, July 3
Birmingham (BHX) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0277, 20:50:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Cork (ORK), Ireland, EI0725, 22:25:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0163, 13:25:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0183, 21:10:00
Manchester (MAN) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0209, 14:25:00
Thursday, July 4
Birmingham (BHX) toDublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0277, 20:50:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Cork (ORK), Ireland, EI0725, 22:25:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0163, 13:25:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0183, 21:10:00
Manchester (MAN) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0209, 14:25:00
Friday, July 5
Birmingham (BHX) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0277, 20:50:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Cork (ORK), Ireland, EI0725, 22:25:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0163 ,13:25:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0183, 21:10:00
Manchester (MAN) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0209, 14:25:00
Saturday, July 6
Birmingham (BHX) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0263, 08:15:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Cork (ORK), Ireland, EI0725, 22:25:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0163, 13:25:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0177, 19:10:00
Sunday, July 7
Birmingham (BHX) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0277, 20:50:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Cork (ORK), Ireland, EI0725, 22:25:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland, EI0163, 13:25:00
London/Heathrow (LHR) to Dublin (DUB), Ireland EI0183 21:10:00
Manchester (MAN) toDublin (DUB), Ireland EI0209 14:25:00
The negotiation
While the pilots have indicated they might be willing to accept less than a 24% increase, a significant gap remains between their positions and management’s.
Aer Lingus has said it is willing to offer pay increases of 12.25% or above if ‘improvements in productivity and flexibility’ are discussed.
One stumbling block is that the pilots’ union has said their mandate is to refrain from discussing productivity while the airline is saying it will only discuss higher pay increases if that condition is included.
‘There’s an opportunity here. If it fails, then an escalation would certainly be realistic,’ Ialpa president Captain Mark Tighe said according to PA news agency.
Asked about whether other Ialpa pilots who work for other airlines would cross the picket, he said: ‘The days of not crossing a picket to do your job in another company I think maybe are gone.’
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