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HOTELIERS HAVE WARNED that cancelled Aer Lingus flights may pose a “serious risk” to Ireland’s reputation as a tourist destination.
Around 35,000 passengers have been disrupted and over 240 flights have been cancelled in response to industrial action being taken by pilots.
The strike by the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA) is the product of an ongoing pay dispute. Members gave notice to Aer Lingus last week that they would work to rule starting this Wednesday.
Michael Magner, President of the Irish Hotels Federation, said the subsequently cancelled flights are an “enormous concern” and that room bookings are already being cancelled as a result.
“There is enormous concern throughout our industry given how important Aer Lingus is for inbound visitors, particularly for transatlantic and long-haul flights.
“It is hugely disruptive and a dreadful outcome for Irish tourism, including for the many thousands of downstream hospitality businesses the length and breadth of the country that heavily rely on tourism during the peak holiday season.”
Hoteliers are calling for the suspension of industrial action and positive engagement from both sides, as “any further disruption risks significant damage to Irish tourism and must be avoided”.
Ryanair has added several flights to its schedule this weekend in response to the strike.
Aer Lingus today said it is possible customers will be informed of flight cancellations at the departure gate.
Over 10 Aer Lingus flights departing from Dublin to London Heathrow have been cancelled over Saturday and Sunday, and Ryanair is putting on an additional 6.45am flight to London Stansted on Saturday, and a 12.15pm flight to Stansted on Sunday.
Two Saturday flights a piece to Malaga and Faro airports departing from Dublin have also been cancelled by Aer Lingus, and Ryanair is putting on an additional flight to Malaga at 10.20am on Saturday, and an additional Faro flight at 6.15am on Sunday morning.
Ryanair said the airline is “working closely with Aer Lingus to accept some of their transfer passengers during the school holidays”, but noted that there is “very limited seat availability”.
IALPA voted to begin industrial action after rejecting a Labour Court recommendation that would have increased pay by 9.25%.
In 2023, Aer Lingus had a full year operating profit of €225 million.
This was a 400% increase on 2022, when a full year operating profit of €45 million was recorded.
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So the bollards were removed in Nov 2023 by some amadan.
Reported in January by a concerned resident, and the council couldn’t complete the complicated task of replacing the bollards, mitigating the risk at the dangerous junction 4 months after reporting , 6 months after it occurred.
Poor woman. Such needless loss of life on Irish roads. We all need to take collective responsibility and cop on.
Seriously what use are plastic bollards to protect vulnerable cyclists, poor young woman
@Terry Molloy: Drivers see the bollards and should take heed and slow down for cyclists or pedestrians but in this case some headcase removed them resulting needlessly in a young womans death
@barry williams: The article suggests the bollards were ‘dug up’, which requires a lot of effort, and equipment, far more than simple removal.
And time.
There seems to be more to this than meets the eye.
@Jimmy Wallace: If those bollards were in place then the vehicle would have had to strike them – possibly causing damage to the vehicle – to also collide with the cyclist.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: If they are like the ones I’m thinking of, they are flexible when hit and spring back upright afterwards causing no damage to any vehicle. They unfortunately can be screwed out of the ground easily and this used to happen in my local area where young lads would be messing with them at night. They are better than nothing, but no substitute for proper segregated off road cycle lanes which actually protect cyclists and encourage cycling in any countries which have them.
@Terry Molloy: Sad reality is that some drivers are more concerned to avoid scraping their paintwork off a fixed object than to avoid a cyclist. Studies show them slowing down more for bollards than pedestrians/ cyclists
@Longlin: Thanks Longlin.
@Terry Molloy: read what Barry said Terry – they work just understand that..far far better to have them at junctions like that than not…
Large trucks have to drive over these plastic bollards on some roads when turning.
No accountability yet again for our “public servants” who will, yet again, skip off without answering any hard questions.
These cycle lanes are a nightmare where Safety has not been prioritised
Please let the person who removed them get the Karma deserved
have your say