Major boost for holidaymakers as Aer Lingus rule out more strikes amid pay row

AER Lingus pilots have officially ruled out any more strikes happening as they now await for a Labour Court ruling.

Pilot representatives and Aer Lingus bosses are currently awaiting the recommendation of how the row should be resolved.

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This comes after another 76 flights were cancelled on Tuesday, bringing the total to almost 500.

The Ialpa told its members that they will not go forward with ramping up their work-to-rule strike in the ongoing dispute.

In a message sent to members following the end of a formal hearing by the Labour Court on Tuesday evening, it said both sides had been given the opportunity to plead their case.

The court is set to give their recommendation within the next few days.

Following on from this, the Ialpa will hold an electronic ballot of members on the recommendation. This could take three to five days to complete.

The update said: “Ialpa will not escalate our industrial action,” adding: “However, the current industrial action remains in force.”

Despite the court expected to issue the recommendation with urgency, Ialpa members guaranteed that no further industrial action besides the current work-to-rule will be announced.

If the court’s proposal is then rejected, they would need to seek sanction for any new industrial action from parent union Fórsa’s disputes committee.

Under the law, they are required to give Aer Lingus bosses seven days notice of any strike action.

Due to the work-to-rule in place still, there is still a possibility of more flights being cancelled ahead of the recommendation.

Almost 500 flights have been cancelled so far as a result of the dispute, where pilots are demanding a pay increase of up to 24 per cent.

A spokesperson for Aer Lingus has assured passengers that those affected by the latest cancellations would be compensated.

They will have a number of options, including requesting a refund or voucher, or changing their flights at no additional cost.

The airline will communicate whatever options are available for those passengers directly to them.

The airline said: “Aer Lingus fully understands the anxiety being experienced by customers given the uncertainty caused by Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association’s industrial action and is giving impacted customers as many options as possible.”

The Irish Sun has shared a list of how to get your money back or have your flight rescheduled in the event of it being cancelled, as well as a full list of flights that have been impacted.

FLIGHTS CANCELLED ON JULY 5

• Cork to London/Heathrow EI0724 8:30pm
• Dublin to Amsterdam EI0602 6:15am
• Dublin to Berlin EI0332 6:40am
• Dublin to Birmingham EI0276 7:20pm
• Dublin to Brussels EI0638 5:55pm
• Dublin to Dusseldorf EI0698 5:30pm
• Dublin to Frankfurt EI0656 4:45pm
• Dublin to London/Heathrow EI0162 11:15am
• Dublin to London/Heathrow EI0182 7:15pm
• Dublin to Manchester EI0208 12:50pm
• Dublin to Munich EI0352 7:10am
• Dublin to New York EI0105 11:05am
• Dublin to Paris EI0526 1pm

FLIGHTS CANCELLED JULY 7

• Cork to London/Heathrow EI0724 8:30pm
• Dublin to Berlin/Brandenburg EI0332 6:40am
• Dublin to Birmingham EI0276 7:20pm
• Dublin to Brussels EI0638 5:55pm
• Dublin to Dusseldorf EI0698 5:30pm
• Dublin to Frankfurt EI0656 4:45pm
• Dublin to London/Heathrow 11:15am
• Dublin to London/Heathrow EI0182 7pm
• Dublin to Lyon EI0550 6:15am
• Dublin to Manchester EI0208 12:50pm
• Dublin to Munich EI0352 7:10am
• Dublin to New York EI0105 11:05am
• Dublin to Paris EI0524 09:50am

FLIGHTS CANCELLED JULY 9

Cork to London Heathrow EI0724 8:30pm
Dublin to Amsterdam EI0610 6:15pm
Dublin to Berlin/Brandenburg EI0332 6:40am
Dublin to Birmingham EI0262 6:30am
Dublin to Geneva EI0680 6:15am
Dublin to London/Heathrow EI0162 11:15am
Dublin to London/Heathrow 5:30pm
Dublin to Lyon EI0552 12:55pm
Dublin to Manchester EI0208 12:50pm
Dublin to New York EI0105 11:05 am
Dublin to Nice EI0544 11am
Dublin to Paris EI0528 6:20pm

In a statement yesterday morning, a spokesperson for Aer Lingus said: “Implementing these cancellations is to enable us to protect as many services as possible for as many of our customers as possible.

“These cancellations will be implemented today, and details will be communicated to impacted customers.

“Customers impacted by these latest cancellations between 8^th July and 10^th July will be given the option to change their flights for free. They will also be able to claim a refund or voucher.

“These options will be communicated directly to impacted customers as well as travel agents, while the Aer Lingus ‘Travel Advisory’ page will also have up to the minute information on all the options.”