Summary

  • Aer Lingus pilots strike over a pay dispute, causing hundreds of flight cancelations.
  • The Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association demands a 23.8% pay increase over three years.
  • Pilots from over the Atlantic show support for Aer Lingus colleagues.

The pilots of Aer Lingus, Ireland’s flag carrier, marched at Dublin Airport (DUB) amidst an ongoing pay dispute with the airline on June 29, 2024. This dispute has led to the cancelation of hundreds of flights during the peak travel season. While Aer Lingus operations have since resumed, the disruption impacted approximately 17,000 passengers.

The eight-hour strike

The eight-hour strike started at 05:00 local Irish time and ended at 13:00. Dressed in full uniform, the pilots marched past the airline’s head office and then set up a temporary picket line at the airport entrance. The pilots held placards and banners with slogans such as “No pilots, no profits” and “Profits up 400%, wages down 25%,” among others.

Members of the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA) are demanding a 23.8% pay increase over three years, stating that this request is reasonable and affordable for a profitable company like Aer Lingus. The Irish national carrier recorded an operating profit of €225 million ($241 million) for the full year 2023, an increase of €168 million ($180 million) in 2022.

Aer Lingus Airbus A330-300 landing in San Francisco

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

On the other side of the Atlantic, pilots in Boston, Orlando, and Seattle organized picket lines to support the Aer Lingus pilots. These participants are members of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).

The demonstration caused significant traffic disruptions around the airport. According to a report by BBC, a total of 120 flights have been canceled, affecting approximately 17,000 passengers.

Massive impact

In a statement dated June 28, 2024, the Irish flag carrier announced it would cancel additional flights. The airline stated that it had canceled 122 more flights scheduled from Wednesday, July 3, through Sunday, July 7. However, passengers impacted by these latest cancelations between July 3 and July 7 will be given the option to change their flights for free.

“In order to continue to protect as many services as possible from the impact of IALPA’s continuing industrial action, Aer Lingus has had to take the step of canceling 122 additional flights over the course of Wednesday 3rd July to Sunday 7th July (inclusive). Implementing these cancellations is to enable us to protect as many services as possible for as many of our customers as possible.”

According to the BBC report, Aer Lingus has canceled nearly 400 flights through July 7 due to ongoing work-to-rule and strike actions by pilots.

An Aer Lingus Airbus A330 flying

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

Founded in 1946 to oversee labor relations between workers and employers, the IALPA has expanded to encompass more than 1200 members not only in Ireland but also throughout Europe. However, the majority of IALPA’s members are Aer Lingus pilots. This makes the prospect of a strike particularly disruptive to the airline’s operations, especially during the peak summer travel season.

What are your thoughts on this situation? Has your flight been impacted by the strike? Let us know in the comments section below.

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