Aer Lingus Regional pilots to escalate industrial action

Aer Lingus Regional pilots have informed the company of an escalation of industrial action in a dispute over pay, conditions and union recognition.

Members of the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA) in Emerald Airlines voted in May on whether to take industrial action, including a strike, at the airline that flies the Aer Lingus Regional network.

The union said the industrial action is response to the airline’s failure to engage with IALPA to form a collective labour agreement for pilots.

Emerald pilots have been engaged in a strict work-to-rule policy since June 24th. The action includes a refusal to work overtime or out-of-duty hours.

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The escalation of the industrial action will mean that pilots will not be contactable by the company outside of working hours and will not accept changes to their rosters with fewer than 24 hours’ notice. The escalation takes effect from Tuesday.

Fórsa official Ian McDonnell said the escalation of industrial action is likely to disrupt flight services and said pilots now had “no choice but to step up their action”.

“Management at the airline have ignored repeated requests to meet with the union and to commence discussions on negotiating a collective agreement,” he said.

“Our pilot members have shown enormous flexibility, frequently going above and beyond to ensure the consistency and quality of flight services. These efforts have not been acknowledged or recognised by Emerald.”

Mr McDonnell said Fórsa and IALPA officials remain available for “meaningful engagement” aimed at resolving the dispute.

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“I’m urging the employer to engage in discussions,” he said. “Their refusal to engage has made this action necessary. We’re willing to commence talks with Emerald management at any time. That’s always been our position.

“Without a meaningful engagement, a further escalation of the current action will become inevitable.”

The union said Aer Lingus had pledged to make recognition of the union a condition of the regional franchise deal before it was awarded to Emerald.

Emerald Airlines is a separate company to Aer Lingus but has been operating the larger carrier’s regional network since March 2022 under a deal agreed between the pair the previous year.

Aer Lingus sells the tickets but Emerald owns the aircraft, which are branded “Aer Lingus Regional”, and employs the pilots and cabin crew. It has bases in Dublin Airport and Belfast City Airport.

The 30-route network mainly covers Ireland, Britain and the Channel Islands but recently expanded into Brittany with a service from Dublin to Brest. It is offering 2.5 million seats on its aircraft this year.

Its Dublin flights provide some transfer passengers for Aer Lingus transatlantic services from the capital’s airport.

Well-known aviation entrepreneur, Conor McCarthy, founded Emerald Airlines. He chairs the business, which is now run by chief executive, Keith Butler.