The President of the Irish Airline Pilots' Association has claimed that Aer Arann pilots are earning, on average, about €30,000 a year.
However an Aer Arann spokesperson disputes this.
The airline says pay packages range from €41,300 to €81,000. It adds that the May 2009 agreement for pay cuts/freeze averaged 7%, and included a 5% cut for First Officer grade and 9% cut for Captain grade.
It also says that the salary for for First Officers promoted to Captain is that of €65,000.
Yesterday it emerged that some 91% of pilots at the regional airline have voted in favour of strike action. Notice of strike action has been served on the company.
Pilots at the company say management have not complied with the terms of an agreement on staff conditions, reached last year when they threatened strike action. Under the agreement, pilots claim the company pledged to review T&Cs, in return for a pay freeze negotiated in 2009.
Staff claim the proposed review of conditions has not been carried out, though they believe the company is no longer in a dire financial position.
Evan Cullen, President of IALPA, told Breakfast here on Newstalk that strike action can still be avoided, if the company agrees to talk to its staff but the representative body insists those talks must be without pre-condition.
Up to 16,000 passengers could be affected if pilots down tools next Tuesday and Wednesday, since Aer Arann operates some of Aer Lingus' regional routes. Pilots are threatening a second round of strike action on the 24th and 25th of August.
