Aer Lingus customers to find out if flights cancelled

Some passengers who have booked summer flights with Aer Lingus are to find out if their flights have been cancelled due to industrial action by pilots.

On Thursday the airline announced that it would have to cancel between 10% and 20% of flights over the first five days of the action.

The action is being taken by members of the Irish Airline Pilots Association (IALPA).

Irish national broadcaster RTÉ reported that the strikes are thought to impact up to 40,000 passengers due to fly with the airline from 26 June and 2 July and up to 44 flights per day will be cancelled by Aer Lingus.

In a statement, Aer Lingus said that implementing the cancellations would enable the company to "protect as many services as possible for as many of our customers as possible".

However, regional services to and from Belfast and Great Britain during this period "will not be affected by any industrial relations action and will operate as scheduled," according to the airline.

Judit Mateo, 20, from Barcelona, is waiting to find out if her flight has been affected by the industrial action.

She is due to fly to Dublin on Wednesday 26 June for the Taylor Swift concert on Friday.

She said: "It's been really stressful; I haven't been able to focus at work because all I can think about is when I will know for sure if I'll be able to attend the concert."

Miss Mateo said she has been trying to contact the airline but "they're not picking up the phone so I'm not really sure what I can do about this.

"I was flying to Dublin to attend the Eras show, I was going to see Taylor Swift for the first time ever, so it is a big deal," she added.

"So far, the only thing I know is that they are willing to change my plane tickets for another week but since the concert is on June 28th that doesn't work for me."

She is hoping to receive a refund, if her flight is affected, in time to book an alterative airline but if that doesn't happen, she says she "will not be able to afford another plane ticket, so it will be really hard on me if I can't make it to Dublin on time."

Aer Lingus said affected customers will have a number of options made available to them.

Those due to travel abroad between 26 June and 2 July can change flights for free, claim a refund or get a voucher.

However, some customers are concerned they are being "left in limbo".

Pilots who are members of the IALPA voted 99% in support of action, up to and including a strike.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland about how long work to rule would continue, IALPA President Captain Mark Tighe said it would depend on Aer Lingus.

He said talks had been going on for 22 months and added that the 24% pay rise which is being sought is an "accumulative increase of inflation over time".

He told the show that while the pay structure for Aer Lingus pilots was similar to other airlines the top end of the scale could only be reached after 26 years.

Aer Lingus said that: "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."