Aer Lingus Fleet/ Routes Discussion Pt 2 (ALL possible routes included)

Lapmo_Dancer · 12-11-2025 08:11PM

On the contrary. This particular flight, during an industrial dispute which doesn’t involve him/her, would be exactly the time for the Captain to keep things by the book and not get involved. If the non flying manager wanted the cabin crew to position in Business, he should have had that reflected on the loadsheet before departure and not expected the Captain to intervene in a dispute to which he/she was not party to.

lintdrummer · 12-11-2025 08:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123983691#Comment_123983691

Checking toilets and galleys for fire I'm guessing? There's a lot of electrical equipment on an A330. Think about all the power supplies and tv screens at the seats. You'd have to keep an eye on things.

As for the 400 pilots flying I think that's probably an over simplification. But you'd have 2 pilots minimum on all narrowbody flights. Some would have 3 if there's training going on. Some of the widebody flights would have 3 for the longer flights and then you'd have some crews away overnighting at outstations. Some would be on holidays and others out sick. Some commute from abroad.

So I think the intention was to say that of all the available pilots (around 400) 300 showed up.

MrMusician18 · 12-11-2025 08:37PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123983637#Comment_123983637

I'm not a pilot but a quick sum would show that having a crew of that size sitting out of position would move the centre of gravity, even on a lightly loaded aircraft by centimetres. So the safety reason does seem to be a big stretch on the face of it but I stand open to correction. Crew would be fully aware that weight and balance can sometimes (yes, not always) be a half truth used to get passengers to comply. Theyd also know that it wouldn't have prevented crew sitting in business on other ferry flights in the past.

And on the management side, it hardly seems like a good idea either to issue a directive in flight. That does look like a needless distraction and while it would have been less comfortable for the crew in economy, I'm sure they survived just fine. Passengers do.

Like many disputes, it's rarely about the incident at hand fundamentally. As a complete outsider It seems that there are major unaddressed industrial relations issues that are long standing in the airline. We passengers will probably see more of these incidents and unrest until those underlying grievances are addressed and put to bed. Hopefully management and unions can see this too, for everyone's benefit.

Qprmeath · 12-11-2025 09:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123983764#Comment_123983764

Your last paragraph is on the money.

Also this quieter time of the year is the time for both sides to engage in these “petty” squabbles.

HTCOne · 12-11-2025 10:36PM

Deviating from published procedures can get you absolutely hanged in this industry. During times of industrial unrest it is especially crucial to follow standard operating procedures to the letter so as to avoid the being nailed to the wall by anyone with an agenda in either direction. Following procedures is supposed to keep you safe. If this individual did that and is facing sanction then Just Culture is not being followed and that would be extremely concerning.

I also still think sending a message of this petty and trivial nature whilst the aircraft is in flight is unsafe. Ring the individual after they land, or send an email/memo out to crews after the fact, but don't try and intimidate a colleague while they are performing safety critical duties.

Nibs05 · 13-11-2025 08:05AM

Any news on DEG,

donkey balls · 13-11-2025 10:51AM

How can you have a situation were by you have Union members which has always being the case in EI, Then have non union staff? My current company is heavily involved when it comes to employees apart from mgmt having to be members of Siptu.

Even when we have temps/summer staff working they have to join the union. I'm surprised that they employed non union members.

lintdrummer · 13-11-2025 11:41AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123984625#Comment_123984625

It's not compulsory to join a union in the UK or Ireland. When you say that you have temps that have to join the union, I'm guessing they are strongly encouraged to by the reps and perhaps led to believe that it's compulsory, but it isn't.

Why some people don't join a union is a matter for them I suppose. Potential reasons might be that they don't want to pay the subscription fees, don't agree with the union policies or leadership, or maybe they had an experience before and felt the union wasn't helpful so they left.

Personally I'd rather have the backing of a union and the strength of numbers, but I know others that don't.

donkey balls · 13-11-2025 04:02PM

When i first started to work for the cargo airline 30 years ago, Maybe i was wet behind the ears as they didn't recognise Union membership at the time and it didn't bother me.My Father worked for Dublin corporation and best mate for the ESB. Both these jobs were heavily unionised.

Fast forward a few years later when another company i worked for got taking over by a UK company everyone rushed to join the union. At first the UK were all smiles and don't worry nothing would change etc.

Then they started messing about with the drivers ringing them at 2100hrs for a 0200hrs start time etc,(Messing around with rest times) One morning i was due in at 0200hrs and there was a letter there for me informing me of some sort of disciplinary. And this is were I can see the EI skipper point to an extent.

I was driving from Dublin to Donegal and that letter was playing on my mind all the way up to Donegal. Eventually i got hold of the union rep who imformed me it was to do with a tachograph offence and that a few drivers got the same letter.

Now the company could have worded the letter to say that Tachograph offence instead they had must attend a disciplinary meeting, Anyway went to the meeting and got the letter rescinded as they didn't check the back of the chart to see the manual entry i made.

About a year later all the transport staff were called into a meeting to say we lost the transport end of the contract, And they enter into negotiations regarding redundancy etc.

Well these shower of f**ks came back and informed all the transport staff that they be getting zilch, As we were employed by the supermarket chain and they won't pay out.

Our argument was that the uniform/payslip etc has the logistics company name on it not the Supermarket chain, We threatened them with picket action on two other sites then they agreed to pay out the redundancy.

Fast forward to my present company in order to work either in operations transport/admin everyone bar mgmt has to join the union as it's a company rule.

There is agreements in this place going back to the 60s/70s before i was even born, And one thing that really stuck in my mind is people working here 40 plus years. The company doesn't suffer from a high turnover of staff due to pay T&C. Etc.

Aer Lingus Fleet/ Routes Discussion Pt 2 (ALL possible routes included)

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