Talks have broken down between IALPA and Aer Lingus – with pilots to consider escalating their industrial action. 

Aer Lingus management met with Irish Air Line Pilots' Association (IALPA) members today aimed at resolving the ongoing pay dispute. 

However, meetings have now broken up without an agreement and IALPA will consider taking its work-to-rule a step further.

An eight-hour strike is scheduled to take place on Saturday from 5am to 1pm.

Some 270 flights have been cancelled up to July 2nd due to industrial action, affecting over 40,000 customers in the next week.

An Aer Lingus spokesperson said the talks were ended by IALPA after the airline sought to discuss improving “productivity and flexibility” to help agree on a pay increase beyond 12.25%. 

“IALPA indicated that it did not have a mandate from its members to discuss productivity and flexibility – matters which are essential in any pay negotiations,” they said. 

Aer Lingus called on IALPA to discuss changing its mandate on Saturday during its eight-hour strike so they can have “meaningful negotiations that can resolve this dispute”. 

Aer Lingus-IALPA negotiations

IALPA President Captain Mark Tighe said Aer Lingus refused to meet some of the union’s demands. 

“IALPA officially moved from its inflationary figure of 23.88%,” he said. 

“[Aer Lingus] has not moved from its statement that anything more than 12.25% will have to be funded by pilots’ own payments, through work practice changes.” 

After rejecting a Labour Court recommendation of 9.25% earlier this month, the vast majority of IALPA members voted to take industrial action.

Aer Lingus Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Donal Moriarty said pilots have to be more flexible about a pay rise above 12.25%.

"Our position hasn't shifted," he said. "There are various things that need to be discussed in order to build pilot pay beyond the 12.25% agreed with all other collectively bargained groups."

Separate meetings with the Labour Court on Tuesday also failed to bring about a resolution between pilots and airline management.

Mr Moriarty told reporters outside the Labour Court cancellations will continue until a resolution is found - and IALPA has been “unwilling or unable to enter into meaningful, direct discussions”. 

Mr Tighe said the airline's refusal to increase salaries was due to "corporate greed".

The full list of cancelled flights can be found here.

Reporting by Andrew Lowth.