Aer Lingus to meet pilots on pay row next week

Aer Lingus will meet pilots on Wednesday seeking a quick end to a pay row to ensure the delivery of new aircraft to the carrier. The Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (Ialpa) and Aer Lingus are due before the Labour Court on April 22nd to resolve a dispute over union members’ demand for pay increases of more than 20%. However, the sides agreed to meet next Wednesday after Aer Lingus COO Adrian Dunne wrote to Ialpa seeking a meeting before the Labour Court date, saying it is “incumbent” on both to find a solution as soon as possible. If there is no resolution by April 28th, then the Irish carrier’s owner, International Airlines Group (IAG) will allocate a new Airbus aircraft due to begin flying for Aer Lingus in September to one of its other subsidiaries, his letter warns. Dunne stresses that Aer Lingus is “fully committed” to the Labour Court process, but explains that the hearing’s date means it is unlikely the pair will have resolved the dispute in time to secure the aircraft. “Therefore, I am writing to you today to invite you to meet to explore if any agreement can be reached and ratified ahead of this deadline,” he says.<br/>