Aer Lingus has said that up to 500 jobs could be cut at the airline due to a planned 6% reduction in its flight capacity.
Under the cost-cutting plan, 290 roles are under threat in head office functions, along with 140 cabin roles and 70 pilot positions.
“Aer Lingus will consult with employees and their representatives regarding the Head Office function changes and the network changes,” the airline said in a statement.
“These changes could see up to 500 employees leaving the airline.
“With many fleet decisions upcoming, Aer Lingus will also engage with employees and their representatives on cost efficiency and productivity so that the airline can be an investment case within the IAG group.
“The more cost efficient and productive the airline is, the more it will be able to fulfil its network and growth ambition.
“The consultation and engagement process will focus on reducing redundancies and potential future redundancies and on what needs to be done to secure future investment in the business,” Aer Lingus said.
The company said the changes are essential to support required improvement in its operating margin, which is needed to underpin future investment.
The airline said it aims to achieve and sustain a 12%-15% operating margin to attract investment over the medium term.
The network changes that will begin to take effect from late September 2026 and continue into summer 2027 will see overall flying reduced by 6%, which will include some long-haul and short-haul routes.
Linked to these network changes, there will be a reduction in the use of two A330 aircraft and four A320 aircraft for peak summer 2027.
“Our accelerated transformation aims to set Aer Lingus up for the future; to ensure the airline is a strong investment case and able to weather the turbulence in our industry,” said Aer Lingus CEO Lynne Embleton.
“An efficient cost base, coupled with investment in our customer experience will enable Aer Lingus to fulfil its ambition to be the airline of choice connecting Europe with North America, support future growth and continue to provide connectivity and significant economic contribution to Ireland,” Ms Embleton said.
The airline currently employs around 6,000 people.
Aer Lingus said the cost cuts are necessary due to a number of factors, including the continued challenging macro-economic environment, significantly increased transatlantic competition, elevated fuel costs and first quarter 2026 losses of €103 million.
Under the plan, the long-haul flights impacted are Dublin to Denver, which will be discontinued after 28 September; Dublin to Minneapolis will be discontinued after 24 October; Dublin to Las Vegas will be discontinued after 3 December and Dublin to Seattle will move to a summer-only operation after 24 October.
On short-haul routes, Dublin to Split will be discontinued after 29 September and Dublin to Frankfurt will move to a summer-only operation after 2 November.
Dublin to Hamburg, and Dublin to Malta will also move to summer only from early November.
Aer Lingus said that all customers impacted by the network changes are being contacted directly and provided with re-accommodation or refund options.
IALPA criticises ‘drive for excess profits’
Captain Mark Tighe, Vice President of IALPA (Irish Airline’s Pilot’s Association) said that he was surprised Aer Lingus would consider redundancies when they are making “so much money”.
He said that the announcement was “not credible” and “disheartening” and that he did not accept that there are financial pressures on the company. He added that the company is already extremely sustainable compared to European operators in the industry.
He said that in order to chase the metric around profit, the management team are going to reduce profits bringing in to bring up a metric of this operating margin to within 12-15%.
“They are messing with peoples’ lives in order to improve a metric,” he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
“How much profits is enough profits? Will people work for nothing? Will they work for 24 hours a day?”
“This is all just a drive for excess profits – where does it end?
He said that IALPA expect voluntary redundancies first and will see where it goes but that IALPA has never accepted compulsory redundancies before, and in a situation where the company is making money, he does not expect it to be accepted.
