A dispute over the relocation of a new check-in area at Dublin airport was resolved yesterday in time for it to open last night.
The new €15 million facility at area 14 will cater for British and long-haul flights.
Some 350 Aer Lingus baggage handlers had objected to the move to the new facility in the basement of the airport. They said it was noisier, hotter and more congested and they were not properly consulted about the move.
Some workers suggested they should be paid €1,000 in compensation for what they saw as a diminution in working conditions.
Area 14 was due to open last Tuesday and last weekend Aer Lingus management sent a letter to workers warning them that they could be suspended if they failed to work there.
Aer Lingus chief executive Dermot Mannion met more than 100 of the staff yesterday to address their concerns. Management then held discussions with shop stewards and union officials.
Mr Mannion welcomed a "very positive outcome" to the talks and said management had given assurances to unions that they would continue to monitor health and safety issues.
Noel Maguire of Siptu's Aer Lingus branch said management had committed to address issues such as training and a review of staffing levels. Management would also examine aspects of the working environment of concern to workers on a monthly basis, such as airflow, cleaning and noise levels.
The new facility opened yesterday at 5.30pm for check-in for the 8.15pm EI 192 flight to Heathrow. Further flights to Glasgow and London followed and it was due to open fully this morning.
The new area will process 5,500 passengers a day and has the capacity to deal with up to 11,000 passengers a day or 4 million passengers a year. Twenty-five new check-in desks will cater for 24 of about 72 Aer Lingus flights out of the airport each day.