Former Aer Lingus pilot says Garda escort made him feel like a criminal amid whistleblower dispute

Tom O’Riordan, a former Aer Lingus Airbus A320 captain, was removed from the airline’s Shamrock House office by Gardaí after he announced plans for a hunger strike over alleged cabin-air fumes. He had been dismissed in 2024 following a 14-month sick leave during which he said oil-contaminated air on a June 2023 flight left him with lasting injuries. In a February grievance meeting with former base captain Seamus Cooke and HR manager Carmel Byrne, O’Riordan demanded the airline address the safety issue and compensate him up to retirement, a request estimated at €3 million.

Gardaí were summoned, and O’Riordan was escorted out, describing the experience as feeling “like a criminal.” Aer Lingus refutes any safety risk and argues the pilot’s social-media posts and disciplinary record disqualify his whistleblower claim. The Workplace Relations Commission will resume hearings on the case, where the airline’s legal team argues the posts are not protected. Outside the headquarters, O’Riordan later staged a uniformed march with a placard to raise awareness of the alleged fumes.