A labour dispute that has forced the cancellation of more than 100 flights at Irish airports on Wednesday following the suspension of air traffic controllers is likely to escalate, aviation officials said.
 
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) suspended controllers for refusing to carry out "normal assigned duties", prompting members of Ireland's largest public sector union IMPACT to take disruptive action, starting with mandatory union meetings.
 
Irish airline Ryanair said it was cancelling 48 flights on Wednesday, affecting more than 6,000 passengers, and former state carrier Aer Lingus said it had to cancel 64 flights as a result of the dispute.
 
"Significant numbers of flights will be disrupted and cancelled. These actions are likely to escalate," Liam Kavanagh, human resources director at the IAA, said in a statement.
 
The semi-state body has said the union's real agenda was to seek a pay increase at a time when the aviation industry is already struggling.
 
"They are among the best-paid public servants in the country... Work 182 days a year, have 137 rest days, and 36 days holidays," Kavanagh said, adding that the top 10 percent earned between 170,000 euros ($241,500) and 230,000 euros last year.
 
IMPACT said the pay issue was being dealt with separately and a wider campaign of disruption beginning next week by Irish public sector workers protesting at government austerity plans was also separate from the airport dispute.
Dublin airport is the headquarters of Aer Lingus and Ryanair and Shannon is an important stop-over for flights to the United States.