Aer Lingus - 5
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Will be available on DUB-LHR, DUB-FAO and ORK-CDG.
Not available to book on DUB-LHR as of yet though. No doubt it'll be extended to other routes in time. Prices seem very reasonable considering there's a free checked bag, free seat selection and a complimentary tea/coffee/soft drink included.
Not available to book on DUB-LHR as of yet though. No doubt it'll be extended to other routes in time. Prices seem very reasonable considering there's a free checked bag, free seat selection and a complimentary tea/coffee/soft drink included.
From The Irish Times 29th July 2010
Aer Lingus staff to vote on strike - The Irish Times - Thu, Jul 29, 2010
JAS
Cabin crew at Aer Lingus are to ballot for industrial action in a row over the implementation of the company’s new €97 million cost-cutting plan.
JAS
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Strike
What strike? They are having a ballot for industrial action. The Union official stated that the ballot is to confirm that the staff will only work to their current contract, and that any changes will have to be agreed with the company.
Thats a long way from withdrawal of labour.
Thats a long way from withdrawal of labour.
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Business Class to MCO
I just tried to book Business class to MCO, out 4Nov/back 18 Nov
No problem, €406 each way(double Y fare). Excellent value for over 10 hour flight,especially with the full premier service
No problem, €406 each way(double Y fare). Excellent value for over 10 hour flight,especially with the full premier service
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Ahhhh okay, just jumped the gun a bit, when I saw the title of the The Irish Times link above, on just a spotter's comment, and wxjedi's post...
Do any of these negotiations / disputes regarding current contracts and work practices involve Belfast based crew, or are they completely immune to this due to the newer / seperate contracts, and terms and conditions??
Do any of these negotiations / disputes regarding current contracts and work practices involve Belfast based crew, or are they completely immune to this due to the newer / seperate contracts, and terms and conditions??
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Cabin Crew Ballot
Interesting to look at the latest trends in Aer Lingus' share price - trading at €0.94 p/share but having traded at €0.96 p/share some days ago. That's considerable recovery from the trough of €0.55 or even lower around this time last year when the awful H1, 2009 results were announced.
I also feel that the press release issued late last week by Aer Lingus was disappointing and misleading in relation to the ballot by cabin crew. Aer Lingus is almost stating that crew somehow also agreed under Greenfield/Ammended Greenfield to the unilateral changes that were imposed upon them a little over one month ago - which is misleading to say the least.
Having already agreed to so many cuts over the past two years along with changes in working practices, I feel it's very bad of EI to now treat cabin crew in this manner. C Mueller has stated that Aer Lingus has full resources to deal with any ballot outcome - I'm not so sure of that.
With many crew already having taken voluntary redundancy - which was oversubscribed and may well require another increased provision in the financial statements, how are EI really in a positive position if all crew were to strike overnight? The company needs to stop treating it's crew as if they were a separate body or entity so to speak and needs to settle into positive neogotiations with them. I think it's clear in this regard from the anecdotal reports we have seen that crew are being treated unfairly - having already kept their part of the agreement.
I'm not that familiar with employment law and perhaps someone more knowledgeable in this field could help, but from my understanding of the (Organisation of) Working Time Act 1997, regardless of the reference period - be it four months or six months - an employer should not permit/force an employee to work, in each period of 7 days, more than an average of 48 hours. We have seen reports of crew working up to 60 hrs/week over the past month. If this situation were to continue, then EI could well perhaps be in breach of employment law.
Additionally, we have seen reports of crew working up to 12 hours without proper meal breaks. Employment law states that:
- An employer shall not require an employee to work for a period of more than 4 hours and 30 minutes without allowing him or her a break of at least 15 minutes.
- An employer shall not require an employee to work for a period of more than 6 hours without allowing him or her a break of at least 30 minutes (which may include the 15 minutes already mentioned)
It would be in EI's best interests to successfully and fairly resolve this matter with crew. Any strike or continued malrelations between management and crew will undoubtedly impact the EI share price and confidence in EI across the markets. A strike of one or two days would almost be enough to drive EI into an operating loss again for the overall year - that's assuming that revenues hold constant over the next while and that EI are indeed on course for a breakeven result at the year end, prior to exceptional items.
C Mueller should also ensure that such an outcome is averted, because he may well suffer personally if there is any other outcome. If we look back to the introduction of C Mueller to the company, he was awarded 1.5 million share options that could well be worth up to and over €1 million euro.
The share options are not specifically linked to performance, rather the EI share price - but this is of course heavily influenced by the company's performance. The first portion of shares are not due for exercise for another thirteen months - the condition attached to these is that the EI share price must have been trading at an average of €1 for 25/40 days preceeding the vesting of these shares. With the share price currently only approximately €0.05 below this target, C Mueller is well on course for a net gain in September 2011.
However, the current strength of the EI share price is also centred heavily on a belief in the markets that the cost consolidation plan is proceeding successfully and that there is widespread acceptance amongst staff. Moves by EI to add further terms/conditions to these plans that simply alienate and ''grind'' down crew further will have no positive medium term outcome. The impact on the financial performance and share price would be significant were industrial action to take place.
Again, it's in EI's and C Mueller's own best interests to sort this matter successfully and fairly and to not alienate a very large group of staff who are the frontline face of the airline during every day of operations. In the distant past, it may have been viewed that some of the requests/refusals to agreement by crew were somehow unreasonable - but I can't honestly see anything unreasonable in this regard on the part of cabin crew.
EI Premier
I also feel that the press release issued late last week by Aer Lingus was disappointing and misleading in relation to the ballot by cabin crew. Aer Lingus is almost stating that crew somehow also agreed under Greenfield/Ammended Greenfield to the unilateral changes that were imposed upon them a little over one month ago - which is misleading to say the least.
Having already agreed to so many cuts over the past two years along with changes in working practices, I feel it's very bad of EI to now treat cabin crew in this manner. C Mueller has stated that Aer Lingus has full resources to deal with any ballot outcome - I'm not so sure of that.
With many crew already having taken voluntary redundancy - which was oversubscribed and may well require another increased provision in the financial statements, how are EI really in a positive position if all crew were to strike overnight? The company needs to stop treating it's crew as if they were a separate body or entity so to speak and needs to settle into positive neogotiations with them. I think it's clear in this regard from the anecdotal reports we have seen that crew are being treated unfairly - having already kept their part of the agreement.
I'm not that familiar with employment law and perhaps someone more knowledgeable in this field could help, but from my understanding of the (Organisation of) Working Time Act 1997, regardless of the reference period - be it four months or six months - an employer should not permit/force an employee to work, in each period of 7 days, more than an average of 48 hours. We have seen reports of crew working up to 60 hrs/week over the past month. If this situation were to continue, then EI could well perhaps be in breach of employment law.
Additionally, we have seen reports of crew working up to 12 hours without proper meal breaks. Employment law states that:
- An employer shall not require an employee to work for a period of more than 4 hours and 30 minutes without allowing him or her a break of at least 15 minutes.
- An employer shall not require an employee to work for a period of more than 6 hours without allowing him or her a break of at least 30 minutes (which may include the 15 minutes already mentioned)
It would be in EI's best interests to successfully and fairly resolve this matter with crew. Any strike or continued malrelations between management and crew will undoubtedly impact the EI share price and confidence in EI across the markets. A strike of one or two days would almost be enough to drive EI into an operating loss again for the overall year - that's assuming that revenues hold constant over the next while and that EI are indeed on course for a breakeven result at the year end, prior to exceptional items.
C Mueller should also ensure that such an outcome is averted, because he may well suffer personally if there is any other outcome. If we look back to the introduction of C Mueller to the company, he was awarded 1.5 million share options that could well be worth up to and over €1 million euro.
The share options are not specifically linked to performance, rather the EI share price - but this is of course heavily influenced by the company's performance. The first portion of shares are not due for exercise for another thirteen months - the condition attached to these is that the EI share price must have been trading at an average of €1 for 25/40 days preceeding the vesting of these shares. With the share price currently only approximately €0.05 below this target, C Mueller is well on course for a net gain in September 2011.
However, the current strength of the EI share price is also centred heavily on a belief in the markets that the cost consolidation plan is proceeding successfully and that there is widespread acceptance amongst staff. Moves by EI to add further terms/conditions to these plans that simply alienate and ''grind'' down crew further will have no positive medium term outcome. The impact on the financial performance and share price would be significant were industrial action to take place.
Again, it's in EI's and C Mueller's own best interests to sort this matter successfully and fairly and to not alienate a very large group of staff who are the frontline face of the airline during every day of operations. In the distant past, it may have been viewed that some of the requests/refusals to agreement by crew were somehow unreasonable - but I can't honestly see anything unreasonable in this regard on the part of cabin crew.
EI Premier
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Business Class - DUB-MCO
Aer Lingus are re-launching Business Class on the DUB-MCO route from September 21st, 2010. In this case, all passengers holding bookings with confirmed seats in the C cabin for dates after September 21st are being given a complimentary upgrade to a ''D'' Business/Premier class fare and will enjoy the full Business Class service.
Lounge access will be available ex DUB however there are no firm arrangements in place at the present for lounge access ex MCO.
The fares are spectacular on the route at the moment but going forward they will also remain ''relatively'' low, at least on a comparitive basis with ORD for example. This is because although the flight is of a similar, if slightly longer duration than ORD, the propensity towards Business travel or premium expenditure will be lower on this route.
I think it's a very positive step by Aer Lingus - it ensures service continuity across it's long haul operations once more but also ensures that demand for the Business cabin on the route will be very strong - by applying suitable pricing accordingly.
Regards,
EI Premier
Lounge access will be available ex DUB however there are no firm arrangements in place at the present for lounge access ex MCO.
The fares are spectacular on the route at the moment but going forward they will also remain ''relatively'' low, at least on a comparitive basis with ORD for example. This is because although the flight is of a similar, if slightly longer duration than ORD, the propensity towards Business travel or premium expenditure will be lower on this route.
I think it's a very positive step by Aer Lingus - it ensures service continuity across it's long haul operations once more but also ensures that demand for the Business cabin on the route will be very strong - by applying suitable pricing accordingly.
Regards,
EI Premier
C Mueller has stated that Aer Lingus has full resources to deal with any ballot outcome - I'm not so sure of that.
Particularly, when said shareholder enjoys rubbing up the unionised comrades in the less than preferred direction.
JAS
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At a guess, I would have thought that having at the end of the telephone a major shareholder who just so happens to have the largest short haul fleet in Europe and some spare capacity at the moment would provide Herr Mueller with a degree of latitude in that respect.
Particularly, when said shareholder enjoys rubbing up the unionised comrades in the less than preferred direction.
JAS
Particularly, when said shareholder enjoys rubbing up the unionised comrades in the less than preferred direction.
JAS
The only purpose it would serve would be to play into the hands of said shareholder who has been trying for sometime to undermine EI.
EI Premier
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It's a pity the details of agreements can't be spelt out in advance of any votes. This would avoid misunderstandings and people would know what they were voting for.
As far as I can see, Aer Lingus could well be in breach of employment law if they continue to enforce such conditions on crew.
It's disappointing to see crew being targeted, simply because they are the largest collective group of employees in the company. Aer Linugs has never been strong in industrial relations and it looks as if that will be the case going forward. It's never good for the corporate image of any company to be issuing thinly veiled threats to staff in official press releases.
Management should really try to reach a fair conclusion on this issue - because on a financial basis, Aer Lingus has really stabilised in the past while.
EI Premier
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Just getting back to the "Best" fares.
How are they intending to give out the refreshments that come with them? Passengers will be seated all over the plane, so the cabin crew will need some form of seating chart and then they'll need to know that people haven't swapped seats to keep families together etc.
How are they intending to give out the refreshments that come with them? Passengers will be seated all over the plane, so the cabin crew will need some form of seating chart and then they'll need to know that people haven't swapped seats to keep families together etc.
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Just getting back to the "Best" fares.
How are they intending to give out the refreshments that come with them? Passengers will be seated all over the plane, so the cabin crew will need some form of seating chart and then they'll need to know that people haven't swapped seats to keep families together etc.
How are they intending to give out the refreshments that come with them? Passengers will be seated all over the plane, so the cabin crew will need some form of seating chart and then they'll need to know that people haven't swapped seats to keep families together etc.
As regards the Business lounge at Orlando, I believe Aer Lingus will be moving to a different terminal (domestic) there to take advantage of Customs and Border patrol clearance at the new Terminal 2 in Dublin so pax, hopefully, will be able to disembark,grab their bags and go unlike the present endurance test at MCO.
So all in all,a much better experience is imminent.
So all in all,a much better experience is imminent.
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MCO
Delighted to hear that EI moving to domestic terminal.
Present fiasco has to be experienced to be believed.
Its the worst arrival system in the world(although IAD is not far behind!)
I am going to MCO in Dec and was seriously thinking of going via JFK just to avoid the shambles at MCO. Looking forward to going direct now
Present fiasco has to be experienced to be believed.
Its the worst arrival system in the world(although IAD is not far behind!)
I am going to MCO in Dec and was seriously thinking of going via JFK just to avoid the shambles at MCO. Looking forward to going direct now
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According to a few "tweets" on twitter, Aer Lingus and Spainair have applied to codeshare.
Can't access the link though.
AirlineInfo (AirlineFilings) on Twitter
Spanair and Aer Lingus - EU-US Blanket Codesharing: http://airlineinfo.com/ostpdf79/19.pdf
AirlineInfo (AirlineFilings) on Twitter