Talks between Aer Lingus management and pilots, aimed at resolving an ongoing pay dispute, have ended without agreement.
Aer Lingus said that no significant progress was made and the airline accused the Irish Airline Pilots' Association (IALPA) of demanding an unsustainable level of pay increase.
Pilots in Aer Lingus who are members of IALPA have commenced balloting for industrial action and the results will be announced tomorrow.
IALPA is recommending that members vote in favour of industrial action, up to and including strike action.
Last week, IALPA members voted overwhelmingly to reject a Labour Court recommendation aimed at resolving the pay dispute.
The court recommended that the pilots should receive pay increases totalling 9.25% as part of an interim settlement.
The figure was well below the 23.8% that the pilots had been seeking.
Aer Lingus said it met with IALPA today for direct discussions with a view to reaching agreement on pilot pay.
"No significant progress was made, with IALPA demanding an unsustainable level of increase in pilot pay (in excess of 20%) that was not supported by any increases in productivity or flexibility," an Aer Lingus spokesperson said.
"Aer Lingus offered to request the support of the Workplace Relations Commission in order to further explore solutions. This offer was rejected by IALPA, and they ended the discussions," the company said.
In an update to members, IALPA said it concluded talks with Aer Lingus when the airline indicated that no further discussion could take place without IALPA agreeing to productivity changes to increase the pay offer.
"Aer Lingus expressed a wish to return to a third-party mediator or the WRC which was rejected by IALPA in favour of direct negotiations," the union said.
"IALPA views direct negotiations as the best way forward considering 20 months of process has concluded without agreement," it added.
IALPA has said that previous pay offers do not reflect the impact of inflation, the large profits being made by Aer Lingus, or the sacrifices made by pilots during the pandemic in order to save the company.
The union has accused management of failing to reverse many of the pandemic measures, which it said includes lower pay scales for new entrants.
Aer Lingus has described the IALPA ballot as entirely unnecessary, warning that industrial action would be disruptive to the airline's customers and other employees.
The company has accused IALPA of failing to engage in various independent processes in a responsible manner, and has claimed that the union's stance risks investment, growth and jobs in the airline.
Aer Lingus has said that it has lost the opportunity to secure two new Airbus aircraft from its parent IAG due to the uncertainty caused by the ongoing pay dispute.
