skip to main content

Aer Lingus to reduce Dublin - Heathrow services

The airline said the decision was due to the failure of service's performance to recover post-Covid
The airline said the decision was due to the failure of service's performance to recover post-Covid

Aer Lingus is to reduce its Dublin - London Heathrow operation from Winter 2024 onwards by approximately two departures per day.

The airline said the decision was taken because the performance of the services has not recovered post-Covid.

"Aer Lingus is continuing to assess the implications of the financial damage caused by the pilot industrial dispute in the context of the current competitive environment and the passenger cap at Dublin Airport," an Aer Lingus spokesperson said.

"This includes a review of the weaker parts of the airline's network and its cost base," the company said.

Aer Lingus had lost out on the allocation of two new aircraft by its parent company IAG due to the uncertainty caused by the pilots' pay row.

The airline said today that following the resolution of the dispute, a decision has been taken to allocate additional A321 XLR aircraft to Aer Lingus.

"The first two aircraft are expected to join the Aer Lingus fleet in Q4 2024," a spokesperson said.

The pilots' pay dispute led to the cancellation of 610 flights as a result of a two-week work-to-rule and an eight-hour strike.

Earlier this month, Aer Lingus said that the industrial action would result in direct costs for the airline of at least €55m.

Last month, members of the Irish Air Line Pilots' Association (IALPA) ended the action after accepting Labour Court proposals which included a pay increase of 17.75% over four years.

Unions representing other groups of workers at Aer Lingus have met to discuss the implications of the pilots' pay deal for their members.