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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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Ryanair Hits Out As Aer Lingus Takes Flight
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Aer Lingus Staff Serve Strike Notice
A section of Aer Lingus cabin crew have served a notice of industrial action against the airline over a Labour Relation's ruling. The staff are members of the IMPACT trade union said they would begin their action on Wednesday of next week, however it is not expected to affect passengers using the airline, either north or south of the Irish border.
08 January 2010
Ryanair Denies Third Aer Lingus Bid
The budget airline Ryanair - which flies from City of Derry and George Best Belfast City Airport - has waved off speculation it is preparing a third bid for Aer Lingus - which has a hub at Belfast International.
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