Aer Lingus strike LIVE: List of canceled flights and latest updates as pilots begin industrial action

Industrial action by Aer Lingus pilots, which has already seen 270 flights cancelled, has begun, » writes David Young and Grainne Ni Aodha, PA.

The open-ended work began at midnight, with pilots now refusing to work overtime, accept staffing changes or respond to management requests outside of business hours.

An eight-hour strike is also planned for Saturday.

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

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.

The airline and the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (Ialpa), an arm of the Forsa union, have been involved in a heated exchange of words in recent days, with each accusing the other of failing to engage.

Pilots are demanding a 24% pay increase, which they say is equivalent to inflation since the last pay increase in 2019.

Aer Lingus said it was prepared to offer pay rises of 12.5% ​​or more if “improvements in productivity and flexibility” were discussed.

Both sides agreed to attend separate meetings on Tuesday at Dublin’s employment court to provide information on the industrial standoff.

After its meeting, Aer Lingus said it was “disappointed” that the court found it could not currently help bridge the gap between the parties.

“Aer Lingus has made clear that it remains available for discussions both directly and through State Industrial Relations,” the airline’s statement added.

“Aer Lingus will continue to endeavor to minimize the disruption caused to customers by Ialpa’s industrial action.

“Aer Lingus is calling on Forsa/Ialpa to consider the damage its continued strike action is inflicting on passengers, the airline and the Irish economy. »

Leaving the court, Ialpa president Mark Tighe made it clear that the action would continue.

“Actions are continuing as they are notified and will continue until there is a resolution,” he said.

Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris called on both sides to “dig deep” to try to reach a solution.

The Taoiseach said it was “absolutely vital” that both sides enter into talks to find a solution.

“My challenge to the parties now is to move that commitment forward, rather than subjecting people to a prolonged period of agony and chaos and then committing to the end anyway,” Harris said on Tuesday. .

“This dispute will be resolved in the same way as any dispute: compromise, commitment, sitting around a table. This is what needs to happen.

He said there would be “very little sympathy” for anyone involved in canceling family holidays and disrupting the tourism sector if they did not engage “intensively”.