Aer Lingus is suspending its transatlantic services out of Shannon for 11 weeks beginning from next January.
The decision will mean that four flights per week between Shannon and New York and a further four flights per week between Shannon and Boston will be cancelled between January 5 and March 27.
The decision has been taken as a result of a detailed examination of the profitability of the routes which the airline say have lost €163m during the winter months for the past 15 years, with an average operating loss each winter of €11m.
A spokesperson said the temporary suspension is likely to have little impact on the 270 Aer Lingus staff employed at Shannon in ground operations, maintenance, cargo and cabin crew.
But he added it could mean short time working and unpaid leave for both the cabin crew and cargo staff during these months.
Under its cost-cutting plan in which its seeking almost 700 redundancies, its understood that its oversubscribed in terms of the numbers of cabin crew who are seeking voluntary redundancy.
Aer Lingus Chief executive Christoph Mueller said that the airline remained committed to the Shannon market, but that the three-month suspension of these routes when the demand is at its lowest is crucial to maintain the viability of their Shannon transatlantic operations.
