Q&A: How will I know if Aer Lingus has cancelled my flight and how many are affected?

Cancellations will affect around 8,000 passengers every day from next Wednesday to Sunday, with between 22 and 40 flights per day impacted

Aer Lingus says it will contact impacted customers directly. Picture: Denis Scannell

Aer Lingus has confirmed that a significant amount of its flights will be cancelled from next week, with tens of thousands of customers affected.

That is due to an ongoing pay dispute between the airline and its pilots.

On Tuesday, IALPA members served notice of their intention to go on indefinite work-to-rule, meaning pilots will not complete any overtime or out-of-hours duties requested by management from a minute past midnight on Wednesday, June 26.

Announcing the cancellations on Thursday, Aer Lingus accused IALPA members of staging an “insidious form of industrial action” designed to severely disrupt passengers in the peak summer season”.

Here’s everything we know about cancellations, and what it might mean for you:

Why is this happening?

At the heart of the dispute is an issue around pay. 

The airline’s pilots are seeking a 23.8% pay rise over three years to bring their pay broadly in line with that of pilots working for British Airways which, like Aer Lingus, is owned by International Airlines Group (IAG).

Irish Airline Pilots Association members have served notice of a work-to-rule. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

Aer Lingus IALPA members have already rejected a Labour Court recommendation dating from May that they should receive a pay increase agreement of 9.25%.

When are the flight cancellations happening?

Aer Lingus says that, because of the pilots’ work-to-rule action, between 10% and 20% of its flights will be cancelled during the first five days of the industrial action — Wednesday, June 26, until Sunday, June 30. 

The cancellations are going to be implemented over the next two days.

How many people are likely to be affected?

During the busy summer months, Aer Lingus carries in excess of 40,000 passengers each day. As such, the cancellations will affect up to 8,000 passengers every day from next Wednesday to Sunday.

Between 22 and 40 flights per day will be impacted as a result of the action, according to the airline.

How do I know if I’m affected?

Aer Lingus called the work to rule action 'wholly unnecessary'. File Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

Aer Lingus says it will contact impacted customers about the cancellations directly “over the next couple of days”.

Will I be given any alternative options?

Aer Lingus says that it will be “giving customers as many options as possible, should they wish to change their plans”.

As such, passengers scheduled to travel between June 26 and July 2 will be offered the option of changing their flights for free.

If these passengers wish to do so, they can also cancel their flight and claim a refund or a voucher.

Again, the airline says these options will be communicated directly to impacted customers and to travel agents and online travel agents.

Affected passengers who booked through a third party have been advised to contact their sales agents directly for any updates.

Updated information on this will also be added to the Aer Lingus ‘Travel Advisory’ page on its website.

Did Aer Lingus say anything else about the cancellations?

Between 22 and 40 flights per day will be impacted as a result of the action, according to the airline. File Picture: Steve Parsons/PA Wire

In its statement, Aer Lingus said it “fully understands the anxiety being experienced by customers given the uncertainty caused by IALPA’s industrial action”.

The airline called the industrial action “wholly unnecessary” and said its focus now is on “minimising the impact on customers and communicating directly with those who are affected”.

“Where there are cancellations, we will look to reaccommodate customers as quickly as possible and will work with other airlines, with partner airlines and seek to hire in aircraft for this purpose,” the airline said.

What have IALPA said about the dispute?

In a statement issued via IALPA’s parent union, Fórsa, IALPA president captain Mark Tighe said the organisation was taking the action because Aer Lingus management had “failed to provide us with a meaningful offer on pay that accounts for inflation and the sacrifices made by pilots to save Aer Lingus during the pandemic".

“Management keep insisting that pilots must sell their working conditions in exchange for any increase in pay. We are absolutely not prepared to do that, especially when Aer Lingus is making enormous profits,” he said.

He added that the pilots' pay claim for 24% equates to inflation since IALPA members' last pay rise in 2019. He said the pilots' claim is “affordable”, noting that Aer Lingus had increased its profits by 400% to €255m last year.

Aer Lingus says it will contact impacted customers directly. Picture: Laura Hutton/RollingNews.ie

What are my rights if my flight has been cancelled?

Under European Union regulations, airline consumers do have certain rights when their flights are delayed or cancelled due to strike action.

You can find more information on your rights as regards cancellations and compensation in our explainer from earlier this week.

One important point to note is that the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) is responsible for enforcing your rights as regards air travel in Ireland.

The IAA has already issued updated advice for passengers affected by industrial action, which you can read here.

How likely is it that there will be further cancellations?

At this point, that is unclear. The rift between Aer Lingus and IALPA appears to be quite wide. 

On Thursday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said the Government had made the industrial relations of the State available to help to resolve the dispute, which he called for both sides to utilise.