Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus is considering closing its base in Manchester, England, from which it serves destinations such as New York-JFK and Orlando, Florida.
The Irish Times was first to report the airline’s deliberations, citing a memo issued to employees. An Aer Lingus spokesperson separately confirmed to AirlineGeeks that the carrier’s Manchester operation is underperforming, and that the base may need to be shut down.
“Aer Lingus can confirm that the company met with staff at its Manchester base to brief them on the performance of the base,” the spokesperson 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.”
“Colleagues at the Manchester base were advised that Aer Lingus will now enter into a collective consultation process with their representatives,” the spokesperson added. “This process will explore all the options in respect of the base, however, staff were also advised that it will also include the possibility of a base closure. We acknowledge and fully appreciate that this is an uncertain and difficult time for colleagues based in Manchester and we will work closely with the management team and the staff in Manchester over the coming weeks, ensuring that they are kept fully informed and supported.”
The announcement comes just weeks after Aer Lingus cabin crew based in Manchester held a four-day strike over a pay dispute. According to The Irish Times, the workers rejected a proposed 12% pay increase and a $15 boost in their U.S. overnight allowance. The labor union representing the crew members said the offer did not do enough to close the pay gap between Manchester-based employees and Aer Lingus’ crews in Ireland.
The work stoppage affected 18 flights and about 4,000 passengers.
Besides New York and Orlando, Aer Lingus also connects Manchester with Dublin and Bridgetown, Barbados.
The Irish Times reported that, if the Manchester base closes, Aer Lingus will likely redeploy its resources to Dublin. The airline already serves New York-JFK and Orlando from Dublin, though not Bridgetown.
