The war of words between Aer Lingus and the pilots union Ialpa ratcheted up at the weekend with the airline accusing Ialpa of “blackmail” and the union responding with claims of “greed” and refusing to rule out an all-out strike.

On Sunday both sides said they were ready for talks while blaming the other side for being the stumbling block to meaningful negotiations happening.

At the heart of this dispute is the pilots’ demand for a 24 per cent pay hike while management has made an initial offer of just under 10 per cent.

The pilots begin a work-to-rule on Wednesday, a move that has forced the airline to cancel more than 200 flights between Wednesday and Sunday.

Then on Saturday, the pilots will escalate their industrial action with an eight hour all-out strike prompting Aer Lingus to cancel 120 flights.

All disputes eventually end but with the gap between the pilots’ demands and the company’s offer so wide, it’s difficult to see who will blink first. What is clear is that it is the travelling public who will suffer.

Consumer correspondent Conor Pope looks at how we got here – and where this dispute might eventually land.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey

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