Aer Lingus is considering pulling out of its Manchester Airport (MAN) base, which has not been performing as well as its Irish airports. With consistently poor profitability on its long-haul routes, the carrier said it may find better use for its two Manchester-based aircraft elsewhere across its operation.
The Irish carrier’s exit from Manchester would impact approximately 200 jobs. The airline has been locked in negotiations with its Manchester-based cabin crew, who recently rejected a new contract and have conducted several walkouts in October and November.
Aer Lingus May Leave Underperforming Manchester Base
Aer Lingus has confirmed that it has held talks with staff over the possible closure of its Manchester Airport base, which has not been achieving the same kind of margins as its Irish airports. Its long-haul operations out of Manchester consist of services to Barbados, New York and Orlando, with flights served by two based Airbus A330-300.
In an interview with The Irish Times earlier this month, Aer Lingus CEO Lynne Embleton said the base needed to perform financially to “justify its asset allocation,” with the airline considering more profitable utilization for its two A330s. Aer Lingus established itself at Manchester Airport in 2021 following the collapse of leisure carrier Thomas Cook, flying to Barbados, New York and Orlando.
However, MAN has become the carrier’s lowest-performing base, and recent strike action has exacerbated the airline’s predicament. In a statement to Simple Flying, Aer Lingus said,
“Despite all of the work and best efforts of the team, the Manchester long-haul operating margin performance continues to significantly lag behind that of Aer Lingus’s Irish long-haul operating margin. This situation has prompted a necessary consideration of the long-term viability of the Manchester base.”
Options Remain On The Table
The airline says it is consulting with staff and unions and will “explore all the options in respect of the base,” with a potential closure likely to impact around 200 cabin crew and ground staff jobs.
The Irish Air Lines Pilots’ Association (IALPA) said that pilots at Aer Lingus UK are guaranteed a return to mainline Aer Lingus as per their contracts. However, no such contractual provision exists for the airline’s Manchester-based ground and cabin crew employees. IALPA added that it had been informed by Aer Lingus of the possible base closure.
Aer Lingus has a total of 13 Airbus A330s in its fleet, of which ten are the A330-300 variants, alongside three A330-200s. Two of the A330-300s are permanently stationed at Manchester Airport, but could prove more valuable assets to Aer Lingus if deployed elsewhere, most likely Dublin Airport. These aircraft can accommodate up to 317 passengers in two cabin classes, with 30 in business and 287 in economy.
10 Milestones That Shaped Aer Lingus Into What It Is Today
The carrier traces its history back to 1936 and has had plenty of important milestones along the way.
Recent Strike Action
Aer Lingus’ Manchester base has been at the center of a pay dispute with cabin crew, leading to multiple strike days in the past two months. Cabin crew in Manchester are paid less compared to their Aer Lingus colleagues in Ireland, with UK starting salaries of £17,640.25 ($23,070) over 30% lower than their Irish counterparts, who start on €29,833.26 ($34,400).
Cabin crew recently rejected an Aer Lingus offer entailing a 12% base pay rise, along with a $15 US overnight allowance increase, taking it to $130 per night. However, Aer Lingus crew working from Ireland receive over $170 per night for US duties, as well as higher base pay.
Cabin crew have conducted a total of 11 walkout days in October and November, with many said to have picked up second jobs amid the rising cost of living. Despite the massive disruption, the carrier says it was able to reaccommodate more than 90% of impacted passengers. Although Aer Lingus was the lowest-performing IAG Group airline last year, it still managed over $200 million in operating profits.
