Aer Lingus misses out on second new aircraft as pay dispute lingers

Aer Lingus has missed out on a second new aircraft as its pilots pay dispute rumbles on. On Friday the airline confirmed an A321 XLR plane would “remain available to be allocated elsewhere” within the IAG parent group, which also includes British Airways, Iberia and Vueling. It follows an earlier decision to reallocate a new Airbus A320 XLR to Iberia after efforts to resolve the pay dispute failed. IAG had warned the impasse would have consequences for investment in the Irish airline. Its pilots are expected to complete voting on interim Labour Court proposals at brokering a deal by Monday. “Aer Lingus was unable to give IAG the confidence it needed in our cost structure, resulting in the inaugural A321 XLR – originally planned for Aer Lingus – being allocated elsewhere in the group,” a spokeswoman said on Friday. “On the same basis and given the deadline for a decision on painting was this week, the second XLR aircraft will not be painted in Aer Lingus livery and will remain available to be allocated elsewhere within the group.” Last week the Labour Court recommended that the Irish Airline Pilots Association (Ialpa) accept pay increases totalling 9.25%, and that talks restart on deadlocked issues at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).<br/>