IMPACT and Aer Lingus to attend talks on pilots' strike

Both sides in the Aer Lingus dispute are due to attend talks today after hundreds of passengers were affected by yesterday’s one-day pilots’ strike.

The pilots took the action after seven of their colleagues were suspended without pay for refusing to co-operate with new working arrangements contained in the airline’s survival plan. The pilots recently voted to reject the changes, which they said will compromise safety regulations.

Aer Lingus has vowed to continue suspending any pilots who fail to co-operate with the changes. It has grounded all its flights for today, tomorrow and Sunday because, it said, it cannot guarantee a service until the pilots back down.

Last night, IMPACT, which represents the pilots, and Aer Lingus management agreed to attend a meeting today of the National Implementation Body set up under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.

The body includes representatives from IBEC, ICTU and the Government.

The pilots said they will still report for duty today and described Aer Lingus’ decision to ground all flights as a "lockout".

The move will cost Aer Lingus an estimated €2m each day.