Union: Aer Lingus change staff duties on working day

The IMPACT union have accused Aer Lingus of changing the duties of their cabin crew on the morning of their working day.

The accusation comes as Aer Lingus today cancelled a number of flights due to the dispute with the cabin crew's union IMPACT over a new roster system.

Bernard Harbor of IMPACT said it was not simply a matter of cabin crew refusing to carry out their duties.

Mr Harbor said: "Your duties can be changed by three hours on the day of your duties, so you could turn up for a 7 o'clock flight in the morning and be told that you will be now working on the flight at nine or ten o'clock.

"Your day will be three hours longer, all of a sudden you can't pick up the kids."

Among the flights cancelled are the EI 125 Dublin to Chicago and its return leg.

A flight to New York was delayed by around three hours after it had to be replaced by another aircraft.

But the return leg, the EI 104 New York to Dublin, has been cancelled.

Passengers whose flights have been cancelled will be rebooked on other flights.

Aer Lingus said the sole responsibility for the cancellations lies with Impact members who are continuing their industrial action.