Aer Lingus has announced that it is activating a task force to begin the process of planning compulsory redundancies and fleet reduction at the airline.
In a statement, it said that despite 'exhaustive negotiations with all union groups', the company was no closer to an acceptable deal.
The airline said it had decided that it was too far from bridging the gap with the demands of pilots and cabin crew.
The statement read: 'With immediate effect a taskforce will be activated to begin the process of planning compulsory redundancies/fleet reduction.'
IMPACT, which represents cabin crew at the airline, has said that unions and the airline are still engaged in talks.
It said the timing of statement form the airline has put 'additional pressure on the members of the cabin crew branch'.
