The impasse over wage increase for Aer Lingus pilots intensifies, looming an imminent strike; the airline’s first since 2002, given the overwhelming support for industrial action from union members. A resolution to the conflict seems increasingly unlikely, with both sides remaining stubbornly entrenched. Out of the 668 pilots who have voted during a three-day ballot, only six were opposed to industrial action.
The pilots are demanding pay hikes of 23.88 percent; however, the airline argues that the proposed raise would amount to a 27 percent increase, catapulting some long-haul captain’s salaries to upwards of €347,000 from the current €287,000. Contrarily, the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (Ialpa) contends that this unfairly benefits only a select few, as new pilots begin with a salary of €42,000 and trainee pilots start at €35,000.
The pilots had previously turned down suggested wage increases of 9.25 and 8.5 percent respectively, put forward by the Labour Court and an internal company tribunal. Ialpa president Capt Mark Tighe argues that pilots’ pay should match the 19 percent increased cost of living since 2019 and aims to align wages with their British Airways and Lufthansa counterparts, who reportedly received a 24 and 27 percent raise respectively.
However, Donal Moriarty, the airline’s chief corporate affairs officer, insists that British Airways had considered post-covid pay restoration in their agreement. He also emphasized that Aer Lingus had already implemented pre-Covid pay restoration for all its pilots, including the new joiners.
While the union insists that pilots have not received a salary increase since 2019, Mr Moriarty rebuts that they have benefitted from annual increments amounting to 23 percent since then. Capt Daniel Langan, Ialpa vice-president of finance, contradicts this, stating that those at the top of their pay scale receive minimal increments compared to others.
Ialpa has repeatedly highlighted that Aer Lingus reported profits of €225 million last year. Yet, Mr Moriarty mentioned that this is still lagging behind the €305 million excess the airline made in 2018. He indicated that the 2023 operating margin stood at 9.9 per cent, the least within IAG, compared to over 15 per cent five years earlier. Capt Langan remarked that Aer Lingus’ margin was almost on par, lagging by just 0.1 per cent, with British Airways, a company which elevated its pilots’ salaries by 24 per cent.