IRELAND

Aer Lingus Pilots Strike To Go Ahead 

With No Solution At Labour Court

NEWS

/ 26TH JUNE 2024 /

SUBEDITOR

The work-to-rule action kicks in today and strike action is taking place on Saturday. Simon Harris had welcomed the news earlier yesterday that both sides in the dispute were engaging separately with the Labour Court, and urged them to "dig deep" in their discussions.

The Taoiseach commented: "This dispute will be settled the way every dispute is settled: through compromise and engagement, sitting around a table, that’s what needs to happen."

Around 35,000 passengers’ flights have been cancelled so far due to an indefinite work-to-rule due to begin today and an eight-hour strike announced for Saturday.

Pilots are seeking a pay increase of 24%, which they say equates to inflation since the last wage rise in 2019. Aer Lingus has said it is willing to offer pay increases of 12.5% or above if "improvements in productivity and flexibility" are discussed.

IALPA president Captain Mark Tighe told the Irish Daily Mail earlier this week that the pilots would not agree to meet Aer Lingus if it had to agree to preconditions.

He remarked: "They sent a letter asking for a meeting but with preconditions set down. Preconditions to a negotiation? Obviously, it’s not something anybody can do. So we’re discussing it with them at the moment."

Walsh weighs in

Former Aer Lingus CEO Willie Walsh has said he "would struggle to have sympathy" for the airline’s striking pilots, calling their pay demands "way out of line".

Walsh, who joined the national carrier as a cadet pilot in 1979, has also served as CEO of British Airways and the two airlines’ parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG).

He said the 24% pay increase demanded by the pilots attached to the Irish AirLine Pilots Association (IALPA) represents an existential threat to Aer Lingus.

Mr Walsh said it is just not possible for Aer Lingus to cave to IALPA’s demands given the financial constraints on the airline.

"I think you’ve always got to be optimistic, but quite honestly, I see the situation being extremely difficult for Aer Lingus particularly when you look at its financial performance in the context of the other airlines in IAG," he said.

"It’s got the weakest operating margin, employee costs in Aer Lingus are already higher as a percentage of total cost than all of these other airlines and the airline is highly seasonal.

"So I think the situation for the management is going to be extremely complex, and I see very little room for them to manoeuvre given the demands of pilots have made."

Walsh added that paying the rise demanded by pilots is out of the question. "I think the impact it would have would damage the future financial performance of the airline. It would any future investment in the airline also," he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.

"I know I would struggle to have sympathy [for the pilots]. I think looking for a 24% pay increase is way out of line with anything that I’ve ever seen before."

FORMER AER LINGUS CEO WILLIE WALSH SAID THE PILOTS' DEMANDS WERE "OUT OF LINE". (PIC: PETER HOULIHAN / FENNELL PHOTOGRAPHY)

Walsh, who is now the director general of the International Air Transport Association, described the industrial action as "very, very risky".

He added: "I’m sure all of the employees at Aer Lingus watching what’s going on will be deeply concerned not just for the impact that it’s having on customers, but also for the potential impact that could have on the future of the airline."

Phot: IALPA President Captain Mark Tighe (right) and his team on their way into the Labour Court. (Pic: Sasko Lazarov/© RollingNews.ie)