Pilots to meet with Aer Lingus for talks tomorrow morning as travel chaos continues

Aer Lingus planes at Dublin Airport. Picture: Artur Widak/PA Wire

The Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (IALPA) will meet with Aer Lingus on Thursday morning, after it was invited by the airline for fresh talks as industrial action got under way amidst the bitter ongoing dispute.

This fresh breakthrough comes as the Government was urged to directly intervene in the crisis, which is affecting thousands of passengers with 270 flights already cancelled.

The indefinite work-to-rule action commenced at midnight on Wednesday with pilots now refusing to work overtime, accept changes to set rosters, or take on out-of-hours management requests.

An eight-hour strike is also still planned for Saturday.

Separate talks at the Labour Court on Tuesday yielded no breakthrough, as the court said it will not be intervening in the dispute now. But, it said, it may examine the matter again in July while the two sides continue a war of words and accuse the other of not engaging.

In the Dáil, meanwhile, Sinn Féin TD Louise O’Reilly pressed Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys at Leaders’ Questions for the Government to take action given the impact this would have on so many families going on summer holidays as well as the wider economy.

“This is a matter of significant national importance,” she said, accusing the Government of a “dereliction of duty” on the matter. “It is incumbent on Government to intervene now,” she said.

In response, Ms Humphreys said she understood the frustration of passengers but the Labour Court remains available to both parties as she called for ”cool heads” to leave “egos at the door” and sit around the table.

“We’re using the industrial relations machinery which is the mechanism whereby these disputes are resolved,” she said.