Resolution of the two-week-old dispute between Aer Lingus and its cabin crew remained in the balance this weekend after talks at the Labour Relations Commission broke up on Friday night without agreement.

The commission's director of conciliation, Kevin Foley, was in contact with both sides yesterday to see if talks could be resumed to resolve the dispute over new rosters.

The talks were arranged following the intervention of Ictu's David Begg and Ibec's Brendan McGinty.

The airline cancelled another 12 flights on Saturday but passengers were accommodated on other flights. The former state airline has cancelled around 10% of its 100 scheduled daily flights.

The airline has been hiring in fully crewed aircraft, many from its rival and major shareholder, Ryanair. But if the dispute continues past the weekend, the imminent start of the Six Nations rugby championship, with Ireland playing Italy in Rome next Saturday, will make it harder for the airline to source aircraft and could increase cancellations.