AER LINGUS has told staff that its controversial €97 million cost-saving plan will have to be implemented in full.
In a memo to all employees yesterday, the airline’s chief executive Christoph Mueller and his management team said it was critical for the viability of the business that the plan was fully put in place.
The move comes as cabin crew at Aer Lingus are set to embark on industrial action from August 25th in protest at new rosters imposed by the company to give effect to its cost-saving plan which is known as Greenfield.
The memo said neither the travelling public nor shareholders were amused that only weeks into the major change process, and before a consultation process was completed, that strike notice had been served. Management said everyone had to continue to work its new business model as agreed when all sides backed the implementation of the Greenfield plan.
The company also indicated that a pick-up in business in recent months did not mean that the cost-saving scheme could be watered down. “The agreements reached came about because all sides were prepared to address the airline’s challenges with a new approach. These challenges have not receded. A few busy months in the summer do not equate to an easing of the operating environment and a return to pre-recession demand levels.
“Some suggest that the improved revenue performance can be used to offset some of the cost savings. This is not possible.”
As part of the Greenfield plan, the number of hours spent by cabin crew in the air is to be increased to 850 per annum.
Aer Lingus has maintained that the changes it introduced last month to traditional rules governing issues such as time off between flights and break periods, were necessary to allow for all cabin crew to be rostered in such a way that they operate the new 850 flight hour requirement.
Impact has contended that the changes went far beyond the terms agreed as part of the new cost-saving programme.
It has contended that under the new rosters imposed unilaterally by management, cabin crew have to work in some cases from 5am to 3pm and complete potentially four flights without being allowed a break. In the memo, Aer Lingus management said that the introduction of 850 flying hours for all cabin crew would in some cases only result in minor changes to the roster. However, it said that in other cases the changes would be significant.
Management said the old work rules – governing issues such as time off between flights, breaks etc – were “not compatible with our business plan”.
Separately Aer Lingus said that it is waiting to see the extent of possible industrial action in UK airports before commenting on how this could affect its schedules.