'Aer Lingus offered to continue to engage in direct discussions on meaningful productivity and flexibility proposals to enable increased pay.

' Aer Lingus also offered to request the support of the Workplace Relations Commission in order to further explore solutions.

Both of these offers were rejected by IALPA, the airline said.

Last week, IALPA members voted overwhelmingly to reject a Labour Court recommendation that pilots should receive pay increases totaling 9.

25% as part of an interim settlement.

The figure was well below the 23.

8% that the pilots had been seeking.

Aer Lingus has described the level of increases being demanded as exorbitant and untenable.

IALPA said previous pay offers do not reflect the impact of inflation, the large profits made by Aer Lingus, or the sacrifices made by pilots during the pandemic to save the company.

Aer Lingus accused IALPA of failing to engage in various independent processes responsibly and claimed that the union's stance risks investment, growth, and jobs in the airline.

The company has lost the opportunity to secure two new Airbus aircraft from its parent IAG due to the uncertainty caused by the ongoing pay dispute.