Aer Lingus has entered the final stages of a 45-day consultation process over the potential closure of its Manchester long-haul base, a move that would eliminate over 200 jobs and reduce the airport’s transatlantic services by 15pc, dropping routes to New York JFK, Orlando, and Barbados.
The carrier initiated the review in mid-November following months of strikes by 150 cabin crew members represented by Unite union, who rejected pay offers citing cost-of-living pressures in northern England. Management briefed the 200 staff, including seconded Irish pilots and ground handlers, on the base’s underperformance, with operating margins lagging behind Dublin operations due to post-pandemic traffic shifts and high fuel costs.
Aer Lingus committed to redeploying pilots to Ireland while offering redundancy packages to others, but the airline withheld detailed financial data from unions, prompting accusations of inadequate transparency under English employment law.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham condemned the proposal as retaliation against industrial action, demanding full disclosure of business rationales and alternatives like seasonal operations or wet-leasing the two A321LR aircraft. Regional officer John O’Neill described staff as distressed, with the union pausing further strikes to focus on negotiations.
The base, established in 2021 to challenge Virgin Atlantic on long-haul from Manchester, has operated at a loss since inception, with Aer Lingus attributing €15m in annual shortfalls to competition from low-cost carriers. Under terms of the closure, Aer Lingus would repatriate resources to Dublin, potentially raising fares and reducing seat availability corporates reliant on the hub where it provides 15pc of Manchester’s transatlantic traffic.
Manchester Airport officials have expressed concern over lost connectivity, while the carrier assured minimal immediate flight cuts. Consultations conclude in early January 2026, with Unite threatening a legal challenge if it goes ahead.
