Aer Lingus strikes begin with 270 flights canceled and more than 35,000 passengers affected

Aer Lingus pilots have started their industrial action which has already led to the cancellation of around 270 flights.

Pilots started their permanent jobs at midnight and now refuse to work overtime, accept staffing changes or respond to management requests outside of business hours. It is part of an ongoing dispute between the airline and members of the Irish Airline Pilots Association.

This action affected the travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers.

A resolution to the bitter dispute over wages does not appear imminent after Ireland’s employment tribunal told both sides on Tuesday it would not intervene for the time being.

An eight-hour strike by pilots is also planned for Saturday.

Canceled flights

Aer Lingus said the total number of flights cancelled as a result of the strike now stands at 270.

Canceled trips include those to and from Ireland from the EU, Britain and North America. A full list of canceled flights is available here.

Around 124 flights due to depart between today and Sunday were canceled last week, with the airline later confirming the cancellation of a further 50 flights on Monday and Tuesday next week.

The airline announced it would remove all 270 flights from its schedule over the next seven days. “in order to continue to protect as many services as possible” from the impact of Ialpa’s industrial action.

It also said it “continues to offer a number of options to customers who may be affected by industrial action”.

A full list of canceled flights up to and including July 2 is available on the Aer Lingus website.

What are my options if my flight is affected?

Passengers who booked flights between June 26 and July 2 will be contacted to rebook alternative flights or receive a refund.

Aer Lingus offers all customers booked during these dates the opportunity to change their flight or request refunds or vouchers.

All Aer Lingus regional flights (operated by Emerald Airlines) and Aer Lingus UK transatlantic flights to and from Manchester will operate as planned.

If your flight is canceled, your air carrier must offer you the choice between the following:

Rerouting as soon as possible
Rerouting at a later date at your convenience
Reimbursement

If you choose the first option, your air carrier must provide you with care and assistance while you wait for the alternative flight. These include:

Meals and refreshments reasonable in relation to waiting time
Hotel accommodation where one night becomes necessary
Transportation between hotel accommodation and the airport and two free phone calls/email access

Aer Lingus pilots demand 24% pay rise (Brian Lawless/AP)

Flight delays

If your flight experiences a significant delay – more than 2/3/4 hours depending on the destination – your airline must provide you with the care and assistance described above.

Additionally, if your flight is delayed by more than 5 hours, you must be offered the choice between:

Continue your journey
A refund of the price of your ticket.

Please note that it is not possible for passengers to travel and receive a full refund.

If your airline does not provide the care and assistance described above, passengers must make their own reasonable arrangements and retain all receipts during the process.

Passengers are advised to then submit copies of these receipts to their air carrier for reimbursement.

What should I do if my flight is canceled?

Compensation is payable in certain circumstances where the cause of the delay or cancellation is within the control of the airline, industrial action taken by airline staff is considered to be within its control.

You are not entitled to compensation if the airline gives you 2 weeks’ notice before cancellation.

If you receive 7 days to 2 weeks notice and your arrival time is later than 4 hours upon rerouting, then you may be entitled to compensation from the airline.

You are entitled to compensation if you receive less than 7 days’ notice and your arrival time is later than 2 hours of rerouting.

The amount of compensation payable depends on the distance of the flight. If the theft is classified as:

Short haul, the amount to pay is €250 per person
Medium-haul, the amount to pay is €400 per person
Long haul, the amount to pay is €600 per person

Further information

Aer Lingus should provide passengers with information on their rights and privileges under European Regulation EC 261/2004.

In situations where an air carrier is unable to provide a suitable alternative flight and passengers travel at their own expense with another air carrier, the liability of the originating air carrier is limited to a full refund of the original flight costs.

Compensation may also be due, as discussed in the Compensation section above.