Aer Lingus Cabin Crew Announce More Strike Dates At Manchester Airport

Passengers flying from Manchester Airport Terminal 2 to Orlando, New York, or Barbados with Aer Lingus face fresh disruption this November. Aer Lingus cabin crew based in Manchester confirm that there will be additional strike dates across the first half of the month.

What’s Happening Now?

Unite, the union representing around 130 Aer Lingus cabin crew has announced new walk-outs on the following dates in November:

• 9-11th November

• 14th November

• 16-18th November.

These dates come on top of the already confirmed half-term strike action taking place from 30th October to 2nd November.

The dispute continues to centre on pay, conditions, and a disparity in treatment between the Dublin Aer Lingus cabin crew and Manchester Aer Lingus cabin crew. Staff have rejected a 9% pay rise this year and 3% next year, arguing that the starting salaries of just £17,640 fall below the UK minimum wages when factoring in hours worked.

Unite report that there is also a significant pay gap between UK and Ireland-based crew with Irish colleagues starting on €29,833 (£26,063). This works out at a gap of around £8,200. Even with the pay rises offered, there would still be a disparity in wage between the UK and Irish cabin crews.

Flying long haul from Manchester Airport since 11th December 2021, Aer Lingus have been carrying Disney and Universal UK fans to the magic for nearly four years.

Why This Matters For Disney UK Travellers

The strikes are going to affect Aer Lingus flights from Manchester Terminal 2 operating the Orlando (MCO), New York (JFK), and Barbados (BGI) routes. These are all of the long haul routes operated by Aer Lingus from Manchester Terminal 2.

We are aware that Aer Lingus have already started reaching out to passengers at this time to warn of the upcoming disruption. If you are flying around these dates flights are going to be affected and there is going to be disruption.

Unite Regional Officer, John O'Neill said:

What Can Affected UK Disney Visitors Do?

For UK visitors heading to Walt Disney World, the new strike dates mean that if you are flying with Aer Lingus both your outbound and inbound flights could be impacted by the strike action. For example, if you fly on the 1st November and head back on the 14th November both flights will be facing delays, changes, and undoubtedly causing some stress right now.

The best advice we can offer is to stay calm and make sure you have the Aer Lingus app to keep up-to-date. Check your emails too as Aer Lingus are emailing customers.

• Log into your Aer Lingus Manage Booking portal to check for changes

• Keep an eye on emails and text alerts

• Contact your tour operator if your package includes Aer Lingus flights and you haven’t heard anything.

To mitigate disruption to your holiday it may be best to move any reservations booked for travel days to Orlando. This will reduce any clock checking and worry that an immediate holiday itinerary may add to your travel day.

If your flights home are being affected, especially at the end of half term, it may be worth letting schools and employers know you may be delayed. Having a little bit of flexibility built-in already will help you to take any travel challenges in your stride.

Unite have reiterated the previous message that the airline could avoid further disruption by returning to negotiations, but the strike outlook at this time is not optimistic. Meanwhile, Aer Lingus are reported to have begun contingency planning, leasing aircraft and repositioning crew for the affected dates.

Magic In A Minute

Aer Lingus cabin crew at Manchester Airport will now strike on multiple dates between 30th October and 18th November, affecting thousands of long-haul passengers. UK passengers should monitor their bookings closely and plan for possible changes.

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