Fears at impact at Shannon Airport of proposed Aer Lingus job cuts
Aer Lingus announces 500 job losses across Ireland
THERE are fears this Thursday of the impact the latest round of job losses at Aer Lingus will have on Shannon Airport.
The flag carrier has said up to 500 jobs could be lost due ti 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.
It’s likely Dublin Airport will suffer the brunt of these job cuts, but there will be an impact on Shannon Airport.
Aer Lingus closed its base at Shannon Airport in 2021, with the loss of 81 cabin crew positions and 45 ground staff.
The airline still operates at the airport though, and it’s departures and arrivals continue to support employment across a range of airport businesses, including ground handling, aircraft maintenance, catering and other operational services.
Clare Fianna Fail TD Cathal Crowe, who chairs the Oireachtas committee on Shannon Airport said: “It remains to be seen how it will impact Shannon. The base at Shannon Airport was closed during Covid-19 so generally speaking, those who are staffing the flights in out of Shannon are bussed down from Dublin Airport. Notwithstanding that, there would be staff around. We’ve become very reliant on the connectivity that Aer Lingus offers at Shannon Airport.”
Overall, he said the announcement does not reflect the airline’s reported profit from last year.
“I appreciate that the Strait of Hormuz uncertanties in the supply chain around aviation, fuel and oils has impacted the whole aviation sector. It’s a difficult announcement to fathom,” added Mr Crowe.
A spokesperson for Aer Lingus, which employs 6,000 people in total, said the firm will consult with employees and their representatives.
It added 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.
There are no proposed changes to its network out of Shannon Airport.