22/02/2008

Air Travel Chaos Looms

There's likely to be continuing problems for air travellers in the offing as Aer Lingus senior management and trade union SIPTU officials meet this afternoon for what are expected to be a last ditch bid to avoid chaos for the airline's passengers on Monday.

The problems come on top of a separate - unresolved - dispute over working hours which has led to air traffic controllers banning overtime.

This latest action next week happened after Aer Lingus threatened to suspend staff that refuse to cooperate fully with new work practices which it is introducing - with or without union agreement.

Aer Lingus management had invited SIPTU to talks in a final bid to resolve their differences before potential industrial chaos on Monday.

However, SIPTU said it would prefer if the talks were under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission, but that it was willing to meet the company.

Up to now the company has ruled out participating in any further third party talks - for example at the Labour Court.

They say they've been talking in every available forum for 14 months, and must now implement their cost cuts.

Meanwhile, adding further to travel problems, airline Cityjet has called for tougher industrial relations rules to prevent what they call "wildcat actions" by air traffic controllers, who are due to go on strike this Thursday.

(BMcC)

Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

21 July 2010
French Strike Delays Irish Holiday Makers
The Dublin Airport Authority has said a strike by French air traffic controllers' is causing delays and cancellations to flights between Ireland and France. Aer Lingus, Air France and Ryanair flights to and from Paris, Nice, Carcassone, Biarritz and Marseille have all been cancelled today.
21 May 2009
Cut Aer Lingus Executive Salaries, Says Ryanair
The main rival to Aer Lingus is calling on the company to cut the salaries of its most senior executives. Ryanair, which has a 29.8% stake in Aer Lingus, has tabled two resolutions for the airline's AGM on June 5. They want to see the Aer Lingus Chairman, Colm Barrington and its directors, have their pay cut.
19 November 2007
Aer Lingus Strike Off
This week's planned industrial action at Aer Lingus is off. Up to 30,000 air passengers - including many from Northern Ireland travelling through Dublin to the European Cup qualifier match with Spain in Grand Canaria - can now breathe a sigh of relief as the latest dispute at the Irish 'flag-carrier' airline moves closer to a resolution.
19 October 2007
Ryanair Hits Out As Aer Lingus Takes Flight
With Aer Lingus proceeding with its plan to close the Shannon-Heathrow route and open a new Belfast hub instead, its biggest rival (and ironically, its biggest shareholder), Ryanair is now set to provide three additional daily flights to London to ensure Shannon Airport's capacity and traffic does not fall as a result of this Aer Lingus closure.
07 December 2015
Cork Airport Welcomes New Routes
Cork Airport has confirmed two new routes will be available from the airport from next summer. The services by Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Stobart Air, are Cork – Southampton and Cork – Leeds Bradford.