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07/10/2009
Belfast Escapes Aer Lingus Cuts
The hundreds of job losses just announced at Aer Lingus will not affect its Belfast operation, the company has said.
In a statement on Wednesday, the company said that it needs to reduce annual costs by almost €100m before 2011.
However, the airline - which flies from Belfast International to Heathrow - among other destinations, won't be effected.
In a market statement this morning, the part state-owned airline said it needed to reduce annual costs and wants a total of 489 jobs to be cut from its pilots, cabin crew and ground staff while a further 187 jobs will go in back office operations by the end of 2011.
The airline said it hoped many of the redundancies would be voluntary but compulsory redundancies may be necessary.
The representative union for many of the workers, Siptu, responded angrily to the announcement saying it would not accept pay cuts for its members and would take whatever steps necessary to defend its members' interests.
In a statement, its National Industrial Secretary, Gerry McCormack, said the union will convene a meeting of its National Shop Stewards Committee to consider the proposals.
Ryanair has also stepped into the fray with company spokesman Stephen McNamara saying he believed the controversial free flight deals, which former Directors - among them the currently under investigation Sean Fitzpatrick – enjoy, were "unjustifiable at a time when Aer Lingus is losing over €100m per year".
"It is entirely wrong for Aer Lingus to be giving free flights entitlements to former Board Directors, including political appointees at a time when the airline is losing money, is considering widespread job and pay cuts and is running down its cash balances at an alarming rate."
Aer Lingus currently employs 3,800 people.
The airline says current staff costs do not reflect current and expected trading conditions and are significantly out of line with its peers.
(DW/BMcC)
In a statement on Wednesday, the company said that it needs to reduce annual costs by almost €100m before 2011.
However, the airline - which flies from Belfast International to Heathrow - among other destinations, won't be effected.
In a market statement this morning, the part state-owned airline said it needed to reduce annual costs and wants a total of 489 jobs to be cut from its pilots, cabin crew and ground staff while a further 187 jobs will go in back office operations by the end of 2011.
The airline said it hoped many of the redundancies would be voluntary but compulsory redundancies may be necessary.
The representative union for many of the workers, Siptu, responded angrily to the announcement saying it would not accept pay cuts for its members and would take whatever steps necessary to defend its members' interests.
In a statement, its National Industrial Secretary, Gerry McCormack, said the union will convene a meeting of its National Shop Stewards Committee to consider the proposals.
Ryanair has also stepped into the fray with company spokesman Stephen McNamara saying he believed the controversial free flight deals, which former Directors - among them the currently under investigation Sean Fitzpatrick – enjoy, were "unjustifiable at a time when Aer Lingus is losing over €100m per year".
"It is entirely wrong for Aer Lingus to be giving free flights entitlements to former Board Directors, including political appointees at a time when the airline is losing money, is considering widespread job and pay cuts and is running down its cash balances at an alarming rate."
Aer Lingus currently employs 3,800 people.
The airline says current staff costs do not reflect current and expected trading conditions and are significantly out of line with its peers.
(DW/BMcC)
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19 October 2007
Ryanair Hits Out As Aer Lingus Takes Flight
The latest news on the controversal Aer Lingus move to a Belfast operation - closing the Shannon-Heathrow route - is that its biggest rival (and ironically, its biggest shareholder), Ryanair is to provide three additional daily flights to London from Shannon Airport to ensure capacity and traffic does not fall as a result of the closure.
Ryanair Hits Out As Aer Lingus Takes Flight
The latest news on the controversal Aer Lingus move to a Belfast operation - closing the Shannon-Heathrow route - is that its biggest rival (and ironically, its biggest shareholder), Ryanair is to provide three additional daily flights to London from Shannon Airport to ensure capacity and traffic does not fall as a result of the closure.
02 June 2009
Ryanair Flies Low
The budget airline Ryanair - which flies from two bases in Northern Ireland - has revealed financial returns showing a major nosedive in operating profits. Ryanair plunged into the red by €169.2 million (£145.9m) in the year to March after being hit with a 59% hike in its fuel bill.
Ryanair Flies Low
The budget airline Ryanair - which flies from two bases in Northern Ireland - has revealed financial returns showing a major nosedive in operating profits. Ryanair plunged into the red by €169.2 million (£145.9m) in the year to March after being hit with a 59% hike in its fuel bill.
08 October 2008
Belfast To Soar Above Aer Lingus Strike
Proposed strike action by staff at the former state-run Irish airline, Aer Lingus may not ground flights from the newly opened Belfast International Airport 'hub'. Aer Lingus has insisted that passengers flying on its services to and from Belfast would not be affected by proposed industrial action.
Belfast To Soar Above Aer Lingus Strike
Proposed strike action by staff at the former state-run Irish airline, Aer Lingus may not ground flights from the newly opened Belfast International Airport 'hub'. Aer Lingus has insisted that passengers flying on its services to and from Belfast would not be affected by proposed industrial action.
14 August 2007
Aer Lingus Pilots Announce 48-Hour Strike
Around 500 Aer Lingus pilots have announced plans to hold a 48-hour strike next week, in protest over plans to pay staff at the company's new Belfast operation less than those in the Irish Republic. The strike is due to be held next Tuesday and Wednesday and is expected to affect all the air routes run by Aer Lingus.
Aer Lingus Pilots Announce 48-Hour Strike
Around 500 Aer Lingus pilots have announced plans to hold a 48-hour strike next week, in protest over plans to pay staff at the company's new Belfast operation less than those in the Irish Republic. The strike is due to be held next Tuesday and Wednesday and is expected to affect all the air routes run by Aer Lingus.
01 December 2008
Ryanair Flies Into Takeover Turbulence
There's a multi-million euro bid for Aer Lingus on the table today as budget airline Ryanair makes a fresh takeover offer. The all-cash offer would value Aer Lingus at €748m euros (£619m) a lot less than the previous offer for Aer Lingus, which valued it at €1.5 billion.
Ryanair Flies Into Takeover Turbulence
There's a multi-million euro bid for Aer Lingus on the table today as budget airline Ryanair makes a fresh takeover offer. The all-cash offer would value Aer Lingus at €748m euros (£619m) a lot less than the previous offer for Aer Lingus, which valued it at €1.5 billion.
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