The announcement was made when Aer Lingus and the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (Ialpa), a division of trade union Fórsa, were waiting for Labour Court recommendations to settle a wage dispute. Eighty further routes were cancelled between Thursday, July 11 and Sunday, July 21.

According to an internal document, the airline was able to reduce the number of cancellations to 80 for the Thursday through Sunday period by securing additional "hire-in cover" from Ryanair.

Although the number of flights is not stated in the company's statement, it is believed that Ryanair is giving two aircraft and personnel to its rival, who will operate twelve routes.

With the decision to eliminate 80 further flights the next week, Aer Lingus will have cancelled 548 services in response to pilots' industrial action, which also included an eight-hour walkout last Saturday and a continuing work-to-rule.

As a result, almost 82,000 travellers' travel schedules have been completely altered. On Friday, the airline contacted passengers affected by the most recent wave of cancellations.