Aer Lingus faces another strike – this time by Manchester cabin crew

Transatlantic passengers on Aer Lingus from Manchester will be hit by a four-day cabin crew strike from 30 October to 2 November.

Members of the Unite union who crew flights from the northwest hub will walk out in a dispute over pay and allowances. Most or all flights from the northwest hub to New York, Orlando and Barbados are expected to be grounded. The routes are all nonstop to and from Manchester.

The 130 cabin crew have rejected a pay rise of nine per cent this year and three per cent in 2026. The union says: “While they recognise this seems like a high number, the reality is that base salaries are so low workers have struggled to afford basics such as housing and bills.

“Many have also taken on second jobs or worked large amounts of overtime to try and make up for the shortfall in pay, leaving them at risk of stress and burnout.”

Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It is completely unacceptable that hard working staff at such a profitable airline are unable to afford the basics while senior management are making millions. Unite will not stand for it.”

Besides the issue of basic pay, the union says that a proposed 12 per cent increase in the overnight allowance for cabin crew abroad is insufficient.

For transatlantic cabin crew, hotels with breakfast, plus transport to and from the airport, are already paid by Aer Lingus. The tax-free allowance covers dinner and incidentals.

The Irish airline has offered crew have a 13 per cent rise this year from $115 (£86) to $130 (£97), with a further 12 per cent increase in 2026. That would take the cash payment to $145 (£108).

But Unite says: “Crew based in Manchester have far lower flying allowances than their colleagues based in Dublin.”

The stoppage does not affect the main Aer Lingus operation to and from Dublin. Services to and from the Irish capital were badly hit in the summer of 2024 by a pilots’ strike over pay, with dozens of flights cancelled each day.