Aer Lingus has forecast that it will operate a normal flight scheduled tomorrow despite the continuing dispute with cabin crew over rosters.
The company today declined to comment on the cost of the contingency arrangements which it is as put in place to allow it to continue operating its services – which trade union Impact has estimated to be running at around €400,000 per day.
The airline has been seeking to operate its scheduled flight service over recent days by hiring in aircraft and crews from other carriers including Ryanair.
Around 140 members of cabin crew, who are represented by Impact, have been removed from the payroll by Aer Lingus as part of the current dispute over rosters. The dispute is now entering its second week.
On Friday, Aer Lingus said that it would give cabin crew who have been removed from the payroll a second opportunity to agree to work the controversial new rosters.
The airline said that if they did not agree to do so, they would enter a disciplinary process which could see them sacked.
In a statement today Impact called on Aer Lingus to reveal how much it is costing it to hire in aircraft and crews while it has sent home its own staff and left expensive assets lying idle.
The union said the costs included:
* The cost of hiring aircraft and crews, which the union estimates could be in the region of €40,000 for a European round trip and over €250,000 for a transatlantic round trip. The union believes at least ten aircraft per day are currently being hired.
* The cost of refunds to passengers whose flights were cancelled when management sent willing staff home last week
* The opportunity cost of idle Aer Lingus planes, which are expensive capital assets
* The cost of hiring outside staff to conduct disciplinary hearings against cabin crew
* The salary costs of pilots left idle because hired planes come fully crewed
* The cost of running newspaper advertisements