Some 180 Aer Lingus flights are being cancelled today from Dublin, Cork and Shannon as a result of the one-day strike by cabin crew.
British Midland passengers also face disruption because of the cancellation of five flights due to industrial action by ground staff.
Both companies expect to resume normal services tomorrow - Aer Lingus because its cabin crew will be returning to work and British Midland because extra UK-based personnel are being flown in to do the work of striking ATGWU members. The company has reopened talks with the GMB union in Britain to avert the strike spreading there.
Aer Lingus passengers face uncertainty with IMPACT announcing cabin crew will hold another one-day strike on February 16th, and two more stoppages on dates to be announced in the following week. The union is maximising pressure on the company to improve its offer.
It is thought the most likely basis for progress may be a tentative proposal made by the Labour Court on Sunday night. The formula called for implementation of the court's recommendation, but putting some of the most objectionable aspects of the new work practices in abeyance. These would then be addressed by a joint study group, along with the issue of long-service increments that would bring the top of the pay scale from £22,500 to £25,000.
However, agreement was not possible on how many new work practices could be put in abeyance. After today's stoppage both sides are likely to weigh up what extra concessions they can make in this area.
Last night the director-general of the Irish Business and Employers Confederation, Mr Turlough O'Sullivan, condemned the strike as "a clear breach of the industrial peace clause" of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. He called on the IMPACT leadership to "confirm whether they wish to honour the recently signed revised national agreement or whether they intend to support the action of the Aer Lingus staff".
Aer Lingus said the strike was unjustified. The new pay scale of £13,000 to £22,500 over 15 years represented increases of 19.4 per cent for employees at the bottom and 9.4 per cent for those at the top.
IMPACT said cabin crew did not want to be on strike. It called on management to engage and negotiate "meaningfully".