Aer Lingus passengers can expect delays of up to three hours today if SIPTU baggage-handlers go ahead with their industrial action. They are withdrawing "flexibilities", which means they will probably refuse to load or unload aircraft without a full staff complement.
Hardest hit may be European and British destinations using the A320 Airbus. Meanwhile, talks with IMPACT cabin crew representatives broke down yesterday evening and their 24-hour stoppage seems likely to go ahead on Tuesday.
SIPTU catering staff took industrial action yesterday causing many afternoon and evening flights to take off without hot meals. The SIPTU clerical staff's strike ballot concluded yesterday with overwhelmingly support for industrial action.
It was unclear last night what form the baggage-handlers' action would take. However, SIPTU official Mr Dermot O'Loughlin confirmed it would continue tomorrow and into the coming week.
"The action will, unfortunately, be very disruptive," he said. "Again, the company's intransigence on pay has brought us to this point . . ."
So far the company has been concentrating on trying to avert Tuesday's strike. If action by IMPACT cabin crew goes ahead, it could cause serious disruption to flights.
After talks broke down IMPACT's deputy general secretary, Mr Shay Cody, accused Aer Lingus of refusing to enter serious negotiations on pay, or to refer issues for immediate talks at the Labour Relations Commission.
However, the company strongly rejected this version of events. Its director of corporate affairs, Mr Dan Loughrey, said Aer Lingus was prepared to enter immediate talks "and to reach a conclusion on pay by the end of November". He said IMPACT had attempted to raise other issues relating to their dispute with SIPTU over cabin crew representation and had been told this was not a matter for the company.