Passengers passing through Manchester Airport are set to face travel disruption after a union has scheduled strike action.
Cabin crew working for Aer Lingus are set to walk out later this month in a dispute over pay.
Currently, 130 workers have voted to strike, after members of Unite the Union rejected a pay rise of nine per cent this year and three per cent next year.
Unite says that whilst this may seem high, the reality is that base salaries are so low that workers are struggling to afford housing and bills and many have taken up second jobs or worked overtime to make up the shortfall in pay.
Aer Lingus is a major airline operating out of Manchester Airport's Terminal 2, with several flights each day to destinations including Dublin, Boston and Barbados.
The union add that the Irish flag carrier is highly profitable and last year recorded an operating profit of €205m, while three top executives, including its chief executive and chief financial officer, earned the bulk of almost €2.8m in core director remuneration paid by Aer Lingus last year.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "It is completely unacceptable that hardworking staff at such a profitable airline are unable to afford the basics while senior management are making millions. Unite will not stand for it.
"This dispute will no doubt cause disruption to flights, but the blame lies squarely with Aer Lingus who is putting profits over people."
Additionally, Unite says that crew based in Manchester have lower flying allowances than their colleagues in Dublin, and despite offering workers an increase of $15 in the US overnight allowance to $130, this does not address the imbalance.
Workers will walk out from October 30 to November 2, after 90 per cent of workers voted to take industrial action.
Aer Lingus told the union it is employing union-busting tactics, and is planning to run flights by non-union members to Dublin from Manchester, with long-haul flights then going from the Irish capital.
They say this will also cause more disruption for passengers as they will face delays to their destination and changes to flights.
Unite regional officer John O'Neill said: "We know anyone who is flying on these dates will be concerned of the impact to their travels, but our members have overwhelmingly voted for strike action as they feel they have had no choice.
"Aer Lingus can afford to come back to the table with a better offer that addresses years of low pay and the fact so many of our members are struggling to afford the basics. Instead of employing union busting tactics, they should come back to the negotiating table to end this dispute."
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