Aer Lingus moves closer to closing Manchester base as margins fail to stack up

Aer Lingus is moving closer to closing its Manchester Airport base, putting around 200 jobs at risk, after concluding that efforts to improve margins at the operation are no longer viable.

The Irish flag carrier has told staff it will begin formal consultations in the coming days on “mitigating job losses which would occur in the event of a base closure”, while simultaneously confirming it will stop selling tickets for its long-haul routes from Manchester after 31 March.

Flights from Manchester Airport to New York JFK, Orlando and Barbados will no longer be available to book beyond that date, a move that industry sources say strongly points towards the base being wound down.

Although Aer Lingus has stopped short of formally confirming closure, internal communications seen by staff underline the airline’s position. While the Manchester operation is profitable, Aer Lingus said its margins are “far below” those achieved elsewhere in the business.

“The airline has explored various options for increasing the margin at the Manchester base, but unfortunately to date these options do not appear to be viable,” the airline told employees in a memo.

Services between Ireland and Manchester, operated by Aer Lingus and Aer Lingus Regional, will not be affected.

The Manchester base, run by Aer Lingus’s UK subsidiary, employs around 200 people, including nearly 130 cabin crew, and operates transatlantic services using two aircraft. Staff have been told they may be offered redeployment opportunities elsewhere within Aer Lingus or its parent group IAG, which also owns British Airways and Iberia, or the option of redundancy.

The potential closure follows months of industrial tension at the base. Cabin crew, represented by Unite, staged strike action in October and November in a dispute over pay, while Aer Lingus has also clashed with the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association over employment issues affecting Manchester-based pilots.

Unite has reacted angrily to the latest developments, accusing the airline of “economic vandalism” and warning of further disruption if the proposals proceed.

Aer Lingus reported an operating profit of €135 million for the three months to June 2025, nearly 50 per cent higher year-on-year, and Unite claims the Manchester routes were forecast to generate around £35 million in profit. The airline has acknowledged the base is profitable, but argues it underperforms relative to its Irish long-haul network.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a profitable base and Aer Lingus’ plans to close it show a complete disregard for its loyal workforce.”

The union says it has repeatedly requested Manchester-specific financial data to justify the proposed closure, which it claims the airline has not yet provided. Unite is now balloting members on industrial action, with the vote closing on 26 January and potential strikes from late February.

John O’Neill, Unite’s regional officer, said: “No stone must be left unturned in pursuing all options to keep the base operational and preserve jobs. Unite will not back down without a fight.”

For Aer Lingus, the situation highlights the growing pressure airlines face as labour disputes, operational costs and margin expectations collide. For Manchester Airport and the region’s aviation workforce, the coming weeks are likely to prove decisive.

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Aer Lingus moves closer to closing Manchester base as margins fail to stack up