Editorial: It is unfair to hold the public to ransom in the Aer Lingus dispute

And in the standoff between Aer Lingus and the airline’s pilots who voted to begin a strict zeal from next Wednesday, the French philosopher may be right.

As attitudes harden, the public finds itself caught in an agonizing void. Families’ cherished vacation hopes throughout the year, as well as their business plans, are literally left on hold.

Last month, the employment tribunal noted that the gap between the parties was “significant”. Today, as we enter the peak summer months, when up to 40,000 passengers pass through Dublin Airport daily, there is intolerable uncertainty over travel arrangements.

Whether the pilots should receive a 23.8% raise as they are demanding or whether the profitable airline is right to resist is not the question for the public.

The fact is that travelers have the right to expect, when paying for a service, that those responsible for its operation, at all levels, will respect their obligations. If industrial action continues, pilots may refuse to work overtime or carry out other duties outside of business hours.

They will also refuse to access team electronic portals or answer work phone calls outside of work hours.

As it is peak season, in the event of a flight delay, a pilot could well find themselves having to work past the end of their shift. ​

Failure to comply could result in cancellation and subsequent continued disruption to schedules and departures.

Since the eventual zeal is planned “indefinitely,” contingency planning is extremely difficult. There are many industry mechanisms and arbitrators capable of handling such negotiations to avoid a confrontation in which people are held to ransom until one party blinks.

The conflict is already costing the airline dearly as passengers, worried about whether they will be able to travel with the national carrier, are changing carriers.

This risks damaging the brand’s reputation in an industry where reliability is essential.

It also undermines public trust.

The head of the Confederation of Irish Tourism Industry, Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, has called on all parties to return to the Workplace Relations Commission.

“A visitor to Ireland can either choose Scotland or the Scandinavian countries. That’s the real danger,” he told RTÉ. Clare Dunne, CEO of the Association of Irish Travel Agents, also feared the traveling public could be the victims.

“Passengers have paid a lot of money and, for many, this is their only chance to leave and take a break,” she said.

The entire tourism sector, which depends on these “golden months” to survive throughout the year, will suffer. Given the scale of the stakes, it seems extraordinary that new negotiations cannot take place for several days. Any idea that conciliation is capitulation must be put aside.