Aer Lingus says pay row will hit hiring plans for pilots

The loss of new aircraft to Aer Lingus will force the airline to cut plans to hire 80 new pilots and reduce potential promotions by 40, the airline’s management has said. Aer Lingus is due to meet the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (Ialpa) trade union on Wednesday in an attempt to end a pay row that the carrier claims ultimately threatens the delivery of six new Airbus jets. The loss of the aircraft would force Aer Lingus to drop plans to hire 80 pilots and cut potential new captains’ posts by 40, Adrian Dunne, its COO says in an internal letter. “This will also have a cascading effect on other associated staff groups,” Dunne says. Ialpa argues that it supports growth but not at the cost of compensating pilots already employed by the airline for the soaring inflation of the last three years, or their efforts in seeing the airline through pandemic travel restrictions. The union has told members that expansion and the acquisition of new aircraft are ultimately matters for management. Pilots are seeking salary increases of more than 20%. They say their wages last rose in 2019, since then the cost of living has ballooned by 19% and that salaries have not kept pace with those of other European airlines. They also point out that rate reductions and the loss of flying allowances meant that many endured pay cuts of 70% when Government pandemic curbs grounded the airline in 2020.<br/>