Aer Lingus has confirmed it will cancel between 10% and 20% of flights between next Wednesday (June 26) and the following Sunday (June 30) – the first 5 days of the planned work-to-rule period by the airline’s IALPA trade union-aligned pilots.
The airline has said it will do “everything” it can to minimise disruption for customers and has said it will offer a range of options to affected passengers; including refunds and free flight plan changes.
Aer Lingus said, in its latest statement, that the pilot action will have a “significant impact” on its flight schedules and will result in “many flight cancellations”.
Aer Lingus’ statement in full: “Aer Lingus has now assessed the impact of IALPA’s industrial action commencing on 26th June. The ‘work to rule’ announced is an insidious form of industrial action which will have a cumulative and negative impact on Aer Lingus customers. Its indefinite form is designed to severely disrupt passengers in the peak of the summer season. The impact will cause many flight cancellations – many of which may happen close to the time of travel.
“Therefore, in order to protect as many services as possible from the impact of the industrial action, Aer Lingus has to take the step of cancelling between 10% and 20% of our flights on the first 5 days of the industrial action (Wednesday 26th to Sunday 30th June). These cancellations will be implemented over the course of the next two days. Implementing these cancellations is to enable us to protect as many services as possible for as many of our customers as possible. The details of those cancellations will be communicated to impacted customers over the next couple of days.
“In addition, Aer Lingus has today announced that it will be offering a number of options to customers who may be impacted by planned industrial action by IALPA commencing next Wednesday (26th June).
“Customers scheduled to travel between 26th June and 2nd July will be given the option to change their flights for free. They will also be able to cancel their flight and claim a refund or voucher. These options will be communicated directly to impacted customers as well as travel agents, while the Aer Lingus ‘Travel Advisory’ page will also have up to the minute information on all the options.
“Aer Lingus fully understands the anxiety being experienced by customers given the uncertainty caused by IALPA’s industrial action and is giving customers as many options as possible, should they wish to change their plans.
“IALPA’s industrial action will have a wholly unnecessary impact on customers who are travelling in the coming weeks, at what is peak holiday season for families. The nature of this industrial action will cause a significant impact on our flight schedules. However, our focus is on minimising the impact on customers and communicating directly with those who are affected, including, notifying them of the options that are being made available to them. We will also be communicating directly with third party agents including travel agents and online agents. Passengers who booked through a third-party should contact their sales agents for any updates.
“We will do everything we can to minimise the impact for customers. However, it is inevitable that there will be disruption as a result of this industrial action, and we will communicate any changes, delays or cancellations to impacted customers as soon as possible. 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 most up to date information on IALPA’s industrial action can be found on the ‘Travel Advisory’ on the Aer Lingus website at aerlingus.com.”
