Irish airport strike hits Ryanair and Aer Lingus

Passengers are bracing for delays  and cancellations at airports across Ireland today as the country’s air traffic controllers prepare to stage a walkout.

href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airports/Dublin-DUB/">Dublin Airport, href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airports/Shannon-SNN/">Shannon Airport and href="http://www.corkairport.com/" target="_blank">Cork Airport will all be affected by the industrial action, which is due to get underway at 2pm and will last until 6pm.

href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/Aer-Lingus/">Aer Lingus has already cancelled 64 flights while href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/Ryanair/">Ryanair has axed a further 48, and the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) is warning that up to 150 more could be affected.

Air traffic controllers are staging the walkout following the suspension of 15 members, who reportedly failed to comply with new technological requirements.

Liam Kavanagh, director of human resources at the IAA, urged the IMPACT union to reconsider industrial action, saying upgrades to the air traffic controller system had been essential.

Dismissing calls for higher wages, he commented: “Airlines cannot afford to pay any increases in the current economic climate. The aviation industry is on its knees.”

The average salary for a European air traffic controller is about €200,000 – well above the €160,000 salary that Irish air traffic controllers currently take home, including benefits.

Despite their below-average pay, however, Ryanair issued a characteristically unsympathetic response, branding the Irish controllers “overpaid, underworked, civil servants”.

Passengers are advised to call their airline before setting off for the airport.

© Cheapflights Ltd (Creative Commons image: href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dheuts/3704526580/" target="_blank">Dave Heuts / Flickr)