FERMANAGH holidaymakers breathed a sigh of relief after Aer Lingus announced it would accept a 17.75 per cent pay rise for its pilots.
The recommendation covers a four-year period from January 1, 2023, to the end of December 2026. The decision is not binding and it will now be put to a ballot of members of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (IALPA).
However, it still eased the pressure on local travellers who had been worried that their summer flights would be affected.
“I fly to Malaga in Spain on July 29 for a week and I was getting more nervous as my leaving date got closer, so this is really good news,” a Lisbellaw holidaymaker explained.
“I was starting to get concerned as the last thing you want is to hear that your flight’s been cancelled, but it’s a big, big relief to hear this now won’t happen.”
The pilots began staging their indefinite work-to-rule protest on June 26, with the industrial action leading so far to the cancellation of 548 flights up until Sunday, July 14.
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