what to do if your flight is cancelled

Aer Lingus has already cancelled 270 flights due to strike action and industrial action, with an eight-hour strike planned for Saturday.

The Irish Airline Pilots Association has announced a strike on June 29, from 5am to 1pm, in addition to its indefinite work-to-rule plan.

The union is demanding a 24% pay rise, which the airline can afford after making a profit of €255m (£216m) last year.

Members voted 99 percent in favor of the measure.

Aer Lingus said: “Strike action at this time of year would cause significant disruption and have a devastating impact on customers and their families as they approach the summer holidays.”

The indefinite work-to-rule strike began on Wednesday, with pilots now refusing to work overtime, accept changes to work schedules or respond to management demands outside of normal working hours.

The travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers have been affected, with the airline offering refunds or alternative flights to those whose trips were cancelled.

Here’s what this could mean for you and what you can do.

What are the strike dates at Aer Lingus?

Members of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association will be on strike from 5am to 1pm on Saturday 29 June.

But beyond that, the airline has, since this week, implemented a “strict work-to-rule” order for an indefinite period.

What impact will this have on flights?

Aer Lingus has been forced to suspend at least 26 flights a day since the strike was confirmed.

Union members did not work overtime, worked only published schedules, did not log on to the intranet outside of working hours and did not answer calls.

This will cause significant disruption to flights whenever bad weather occurs, there are problems or there is illness among the crew or passengers.

What to do if your flight is affected

The airline said anyone affected would be notified by email or text message.

If you decide not to travel, you can request a full refund.

The airline will likely incentivize consumers to accept a voucher for future travel.

There is a small chance that you may be able to get the same flight in the future for a lower price and then be refunded the difference.

If you decide to continue, Aer Lingus has a responsibility to get passengers to their destination as quickly as possible, even if that means buying a ticket on another airline.

In case of delay during the night, the company must provide hotels and meals as well as possible additional compensation.