The planned strike by Aer Lingus cabin crew tomorrow is set to go ahead causing travel disruption for thousands ahead of the bank holiday weekend.

The trade union IMPACT says it has accepted an invitation to talks in the row over rosters, but no date has yet been set.

Staff threatening to strike at the airline said yesterday it was too late to call it off.

Workers at the airline plan to go on strike tomorrow for 24 hours, with their union saying that the current rosters impose excessive hardship and fatigue on staff.

IMPACT assistant General-Secretary Michael Landers said the invitation to talks from Aer Lingus came too late.

He has insisted there is no prospect of the strike being deferred.

Meanwhile Aer Lingus has warned more than 300 jobs will be lost at the company in Ireland if new rosters demanded by cabin crew are introduced.

It is a claim IMPACT denies, calling it 'scaremongering'.

And the Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has pleaded with workers to call it off - saying that it is doing untold damage to the company.