Luis Gallego, CEO of Aer Lingus owner IAG, has warned that without a pilot pay agreement, investment in the carrier will be scaled back.
The threat may mean that Aer Lingus may not be the launch customer for the Airbus A321XLR as expected if an agreement is not reached with pilots.
Talks between Aer Lingus and the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association have reached a stalemate.
IAG owns British Airways, Iberia, and Vueling in addition to Aer Lingus. Luis Gallego said: in a results call “we want to invest in Aer Lingus… but the gap we have between the company and the pilots is very extreme,” he added. “When they have things that are miles away from what we can offer, unfortunately we cannot have a commitment to invest in the company.”
Aer Lingus CEO Lynne Embleton said: “The pilot pay talks are a “real, pressing issue. The timescales absolutely do matter. There are a lot of aircraft in the group that we would very much like to come to us. We do take a very fair, reasonable approach to pay. We need to be cost competitive, but I’m optimistic and hopeful IALPA will recognise that this is in the best interest of their members, of customers, of future growth and jobs.”
“The passenger cap issue also needs to be addressed urgently. Something has to happen to get the growth and the economic benefits that we all know comes with aviation. If that needs an interim planning application, then that’s what needs to happen.”
