Aer Lingus has announced it will stop operating long-haul flights from Manchester Airport, affecting routes to New York, Orlando and Barbados
Manchester Airport has responded after Aer Lingus confirmed it will completely halt its transatlantic operations by the end of March. The airline revealed on Wednesday (January 28) that it’s pulling the plug on its routes from Manchester to New York, Orlando and Barbados.
Aer Lingus has said that its Manchester to New York route will be no more from February 23, while all long-haul routes will be stopped by March 31. It’s planning to “operate a service from Dublin to Barbados (subject to receipt of necessary approvals) during the months of April and May to accommodate affected customers.”
The airline reassured that its Aer Lingus and Aer Lingus Regional flights between Manchester and Ireland won’t be hit. Customers left in the lurch by the announcement will be contacted directly with “reaccommodation and refund options”, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Aer Lingus added: “Aer Lingus will continue to engage with staff representative groups to discuss the phased reduction in operations, redeployment opportunities and the terms of a severance package at the Manchester Base.
“Aer Lingus acknowledges that this is a very difficult time for colleagues based in Manchester and will seek to ensure that colleagues are kept informed and supported as discussions evolve during the next phase of the consultation.”
Manchester Airport has given travellers peace of mind that the routes to New York, Orlando and Barbados are already covered by other carriers.
Reacting to the announcement, a Manchester Airport spokesman said: “Aer Lingus has taken the decision to stop offering long haul flights from its Manchester base – but it is important to be clear it will retain a significant presence here in Manchester thanks to its short-haul network.
“All Aer Lingus’s long-haul routes from Manchester – New York, Orlando and Barbados – are also served by other airlines operating here so it doesn’t affect our overall connectivity meaning Northern passengers still have the full benefit of the greatest international route network of any UK airport outside London.”
The official announcement confirming the axing of Aer Lingus’ transatlantic services from Manchester Airport follows weeks of mounting speculation.
Back in November, the MEN revealed that the company was planning to shut down its operational hub at Manchester Airport, putting roughly 200 jobs at risk.
Back then, the airline explained that its Manchester long-haul operating margin performance ‘continues to significantly lag behind that of Aer Lingus’s Irish long-haul operating margin’ and that they were reviewing the base’s ‘long-term viability. ‘.
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