Aer Lingus apologises for ‘serious disruption’ after 8-hour pilot strike

More than 500 Aer Lingus pilots took part in a picket at Dublin Airport this morning.

More than 500 Aer Lingus pilots took part in a picket at Dublin Airport this morning.

An 8-hour strike began at 5 a.m. due to a pay dispute with management.

What began on Wednesday as work on the strike regulation ended this morning with a strike by Aer Lingus pilots outside Dublin Airport.

The basis of the dispute is the pilots’ demand for a pay increase of almost 24%, which the airline does not want to agree to.

With more than 350 flights already cancelled, passengers are caught in the middle, but IALPA president Captain Mark Tighe insists they have the public’s support.

Aer Lingus, for its part, issued a statement apologizing to passengers for the serious inconvenience caused by the strike, emphasizing that it is very harmful to customers, all Aer Lingus staff and the company itself.

Both sides in the dispute will face the Employment Tribunal on Monday to try to end the public transport unrest.