What are your rights if an Aer Lingus pilots’ strike affects your holiday plans?

So, Aer Lingus pilots have backed strike action, when will it happen?

We’re not sure yet. What we do know is that the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (Ialpa) – the union representing the pilots – has to give the airline at least seven days’ notice before any industrial action so nothing will happen until the start of next week at the very earliest.

And how is the strike likely to impact the travelling public?

Again, we don’t know for sure. We are heading into the busiest travelling time of the year though and Aer Lingus is likely to be flying in excess of 40,000 passengers every day until the end of the summer.

If the pilots call for a single day of action then many of those 40,000 are likely to see their plans thrown into disarray.

[ Aer Lingus strike now looks ‘inevitable’ after pilots vote again for industrial action ]

Some of them?

If there is industrial action and Aer Lingus can’t fly its own planes, it will look to hire aircraft and crews from other airlines to fly key routes.

It will be helped in that endeavour because it is part of the IAG group which also owns British Airways and Iberia but it is the busiest time of year for those airlines too so the availability of other planes will be limited.

If my flight is cancelled due to a strike, what are my rights?

The airline has clear obligations to all its passengers under EU Directive 261. If you are travelling to another country and your outbound flight is cancelled then Aer Lingus will have to offer a refund or a rerouting on the next available flight or at a later time of your choosing.

And what happens if I am overseas and due to come home on a cancelled flight?

You have the same rights under EU Regulation 261 to a refund or a rerouting on the next available flight or at a later time of your choosing.

The airline also has an obligation to get their passengers home and take care of them overseas until they are in a position to do so.

That means passengers are legally entitled to meals and refreshments while stranded and if necessary, it will have to cover the cost of hotel accommodation and transport between the hotel and the airport.

[ Aer Lingus pilots reject Labour Court terms on pay deal ]

And will the airline sort out my accommodation and my food?

It might but more probably it won’t. If you’re overseas and the airline does not provide the care and assistance it is supposed to, you will have to make your own reasonable arrangements.

The definition of reasonable is loose but people who stay in a modestly-priced hotel and eat in modestly-priced restaurants while waiting for the strike to end, will be able to claim that money back. It is incredibly important to retain all receipts because they will be needed to make the claim.

And do I send the receipts to the airline?

It is important that you send copies (it is very important the original documentation is never sent in case it goes missing) of all receipts to Aer Lingus.

Submissions should also include booking references, passenger names, original and new flight details. If you do not get your money back in a reasonable time frame – four weeks say – contact the Irish Aviation Authority.

And can I be compensated?

There is a good chance you can expect compensation. While strikes by baggage handlers or air traffic controllers are considered extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of Aer Lingus, internal strikes are not, which means compensation due under EU regulations must be paid.

The amount of compensation payable depends on the distance of the flight. If the flight is classed as short haul, the amount payable is €250 per person. It is €400 for a medium-haul flight and €600 per person for long haul.

To give you a sense of the distances, Dublin to Paris is short haul, Dublin to Barcelona is medium haul and Dublin to New York is long haul.

And will the airline cover the cost of the hotel accommodation lost?

No. But some travel insurance holidays might cover travel disruption. A great many do not so you would need to check the terms and conditions carefully.