Aer Lingus is cancelling 270 flights over the next week after pilots began a work protest.
Aer Lingus pilots say they've begun a strict work to rule protest as their demands for a 24% salary raise have gone unmet. Pilots are refusing to work overtime or on their days off, forcing Aer Lingus to proactively cancel 270 flights over the next week.
The pilots, members of the Irish Air Line Pilot's Association (IALPA), will continue to work their scheduled flights. But an eight-hour strike is planned for 29JUN.
ABC News reports that pilots are seeking the 24% pay hike to keep pace with inflation since their last pay raise in 2019. Aer Lingus has said it is willing to offer pay increases of 12.5% or more if “productivity and flexibility” are discussed.
Ireland's prime minister, Simon Harris, said it is “absolutely vital” that a resolution is found.
According to the Irish Times, IALPA President Captain Mark Tighe has accused the airline of moving from the negotiation phase to a “union-busting phase.” He told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that the pilots did not want to be in this situation, but the “level of corporate greed” in Aer Lingus had led to the current impasse.
“It’s simply untrue that Aer Lingus is underperforming with an operating margin of 9.9 percent, pretty much the same as British Airways and across other European airlines. This company is profitable. It made €225 million last year, forecast a massive increase in profits going forward. This is corporate greed.”
The Irish Labour Court has agreed to review the situation during the week of 24JUL, with Tighe stressing that the industrial action would continue until their concerns were addressed.
The cancellations and work-to-rule protests come right at the start of the summer, the busiest travel time of the year across Europe.
