Aer Lingus management are working on contingency plans to enable as many passengers as possible to travel in the event of a walkout by its staff next week.  Claire Shoesmithreports .

About 1,800 members of Siptu have said they will strike from March 1st if the airline does not back down on plans to introduce new contracts for existing staff.

Yesterday the union said it was considering the contents of a letter from Aer Lingus, in which the company warned that staff at the airline would be suspended if they did not co-operate in training new employees recruited on inferior terms and conditions.

Michael Halpenny, Siptu's national industrial secretary, dismissed the letter and said Aer Lingus was simply trying to shift the blame onto the union.

"It is the airline which, in rejecting attempts to have their actions dealt with by the Labour Court and the Labour Relations Commission, is insisting on their right to break agreements only recently signed off, and to push through cuts in employment conditions for staff," he said.

Twelve new recruits are due to begin work in Dublin airport on March 1st on boarding and check-in duties. As part of their training they are required to work alongside colleagues for a certain period.

Mr Halpenny said the union's industrial action committee was due to meet on Monday afternoon to decide on their next step. The union earlier this month served strike notice on the company and the 14-day notice period expires at the end of February 27th.

Aer Lingus commercial director Enda Corneille said the company had asked the union to clarify their intentions, which he said could range from the suspension of overtime or the withdrawal from certain tasks, to a full-scale walkout.

The airline has said it will allow customers who have booked flights from March 1st to 3rd to change their bookings for free. This can be done through the website or by telephone.

If the union were to advocate a full walkout, this would be the first time Aer Lingus had experienced serious disruption since 2003.

Siptu is opposing the introduction of the new contracts, which were introduced by Aer Lingus for new staff on February 1st and will come into force for existing workers at the start of March.

The company has said it needs to press ahead with the changes. These include: reductions in annual leave; changes to shift allowance payments; reductions in overtime, and the introduction of more flexible working hours and practices, to reduce its cost base and bring it in line with low-cost carriers. It also wants to cut time off in lieu for working bank holidays.

The union says it will only enter into talks once the airline alters position on the introduction of the new contracts for existing staff.

Anyone due to travel with Aer Lingus between Wednesday and Friday can change their booking free of charge at the group's website: www.aerlingus.com or by calling 081-8365000