Aer Lingus apologises for 'inconvenience' and disruption expected next week

Intending passengers received correspondence from the airline warning that Aer Lingus expects 'a significant impact on our flight schedule'. File picture: Laura Hutton/RollingNews.ie

Aer Lingus has apologised to passengers for the “inconvenience” and disruption expected next week when industrial action will be taken by pilots at the airline.

Pilots at Aer Lingus are to begin an indefinite work-to-rule from next Wednesday after balloting for industrial action, which means they will not engage in overtime or out-of-hours duties.

Intending passengers received correspondence from the airline on Thursday night warning that Aer Lingus expects “a significant impact on our flight schedules” as a result of the action from June 26.

The email told customers: “We understand this is very disruptive to our customers and we apologise for the inconvenience. While many of our flights will continue to operate, we would like to support you at this time by offering you the opportunity to avail of one of the options below.” 

The options available to customers who booked directly with the company with bookings from June 26 to July 2 include changing their flights, requesting a refund voucher or requesting a refund in the original form of payment, for the full value of the flight, the correspondence outlined.

For those opting to change their flight, Aer Lingus said the company will “waive the fare difference and change fee if you rebook to travel at a later date. Any fare difference will be reimbursed for bookings within the same cabin type (Business/Economy) as your original booking.” 

Those requesting a refund voucher are being told that “all vouchers are eligible for use for five years from the date of issue”.

Those with bookings through a third party or whose itinerary also includes another airline are asked to contact their travel agent or other airline, with Aer Lingus saying: “Unfortunately, Aer Lingus is unable to assist directly in these cases.” 

The correspondence added: “If you made your booking through Aer Lingus but your itinerary includes a flight operated by another airline (other than Aer Lingus Regional operated by Emerald Airlines), please contact us to rebook the flight.” 

Longer wait times

The company says its contact centre “is experiencing high call and message volumes at this time. We have increased resources but wait times may be longer than usual”.

In a statement, Aer Lingus said its regional flights, operated by Emerald Lines, will not be affected by the action by IALPA.

This includes the Cork to Bristol route, as well as flights serving from Dublin to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Exeter, New Quay, Southampton, Jersey, Isle of Man, Brest, Rennes, and Donegal.

Meanwhile, the Tanaiste has urged both sides in the Aer Lingus dispute to use the state's industrial relations machinery to the fullest resolve the pilots' pay row which threatens travel chaos next week.

Speaking in Cork on Friday, Micheál Martin said it is essential that both sides get around the negotiating table.

It is unacceptable that the public should be put under this pressure.

“The levels and anxiety and stress now created for families, for workers, for people who have saved up all year to go on a holiday, for people who perhaps have urgent appointments for different reasons — it is unacceptable in my view that the industrial relations machinery of the state, which is quite sophisticated now and which has resolved many more intractable disputes — that that is not being used to the fullest to get this dispute resolved.

“And I call on both sides to get back around the table and to get this sorted particularly in light of the enormous stress that has been placed on a lot of people across the country.

“Both management and unions have to put citizens at the centre.

“It doesn’t warrant in my view the complete collapse of the service.

“There is good industrial relations machinery there, the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court, with very experienced people who can help to bring both sides together to resolve this.”