About 4,000 Aer Lingus passengers flying from its base at Manchester Airport face disruption as the airline’s UK cabin crew plan to strike over pay.
The Irish carrier’s UK operation flies between Manchester, US destinations including New York and Boston, and Bridgetown, Barbados.
Trade union Unite confirmed 130 Aer Lingus cabin crew had voted to strike in a ballot over a pay dispute and “will walk out from October 30th to November 2nd”.
The news raises the likelihood of disruption for passengers on its Manchester services.
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Aer Lingus confirmed on Thursday it had received notice of industrial action from Unite covering those dates.
It is understood industrial action could hit 18 flights, expected to carry about 4,000 passengers, over those four days.
Aer Lingus said it would communicate directly with affected passengers “with a view to re-accommodating them where possible and minimising the disruption caused to them”.
The carrier has several options, including rerouting passengers through the Republic, booking them on alternative flights with other airlines and wet leasing, which means hiring aircraft and crews from other carriers to fly its routes.
Aer Lingus has offered the staff a 12 per cent pay increase: 9 per cent this year and 3 per cent in 2026.
The deal included a $15 (€12.80) increase in the US overnight allowance to $130 for cabin crew.
But Unite said although the increases seemed high, basic pay was so low that members struggled to cover the cost of housing and bills.
The union said Aer Lingus made €205 million operating profits last year while three top executives shared almost €2.8 million in core directors’ pay.
UK-based crews’ overnight allowances trailed those paid to Irish staff, said the union, which also said the extra $15 the airline offered did not go far enough in addressing this.
Aer Lingus said its UK staff were paid market rates.
The airline said it had negotiated in good faith with Unite, “having regard to benchmarked market pay in the UK”.
The pair reached two separate pay deals, one based on recommendations from the UK’s Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service that the airline said Unite had recommended to members.
“In this context, it is very disappointing that Unite has served notice of industrial action over the period October 30th through to the end of November 2nd,” Aer Lingus said in a statement.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham branded it “completely unacceptable” that hard-working staff at a profitable airline were unable to afford the basics, while management earned large sums.
“Unite will not stand for it,” she said. “This dispute will no doubt cause disruption to flights, but the blame lies squarely with Aer Lingus for putting profits before people.”
Unite regional officer John O’Neill said members voted to strike as they felt they had no choice.
About 90 per cent of those who voted backed the strike, the union said.
The development comes days after 2,000 Irish cabin crew voted to reject a 4 per cent pay increase offered by the airline following months of talks.
Most ground staff turned down a similar offer last week.
Irish unions Fórsa, which represents cabin crew, and Siptu, which represents ground staff, are likely to re-enter talks with the airline.
The airline was unable to say on Thursday how much a strike at its UK operation would cost the business.
Industrial action by Irish pilots last year cost it about €50 million, forcing Aer Lingus to cancel about one in eight flights over three weeks during the peak travel months of June and July.
