Hundreds of Aer Lingus pilots take part in 8-hour work stoppage

HUNDREDS OF AER Lingus pilots are striking this morning at Dublin Airport as part of the ongoing dispute over pay which has seen hundreds of flights cancelled during the busiest travel season.

Members of the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA) will partake in all-out strike action today from 5am to 1pm. The all-out strike is part of a broader strike, with pilots starting indefinite work-to-rule industrial action this week.

The pilots’ union is seeking a pay increase of 23.8% over three years, which it says is “clearly reasonable and affordable for a profitable company such as Aer Lingus”.

IALPA Aer Lingus pilots strike at Dublin Airport.

The union noted that in 2023, Aer Lingus had a full year operating profit of €225 million.

This was a 400% increase on 2022, when a full year operating profit of €45 million was recorded.

However, 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 are at an impasse. IALPA reps said yesterday that chances of an additional strike and further industrial action are high after talks in the 22-month dispute over pay broke down on Thursday.

A spokesperson told The Journal on Thursday: “The IALPA executive is considering a further work stoppage due to the companies clear escalation today by informing IALPA that it will unilaterally terminate the standing collective agreements, should IALPA not agree to amend them.”

However, the union has rolled back on any planned escalation and both sides have agreed to attend the Labour Court on Monday.

Aer Lingus cancelled an additional 122 flights next week due to the action, bringing the number of cancelled flights to 392.

With reporting from Diarmuid Pepper