Manchester base update
Jan 8, 2026 | 2:19 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,060
Jan 8, 2026 | 2:50 pm
#19
Join Date: May 2012
Location: JFK, MAN
Programs: Aer Lingus Silver
Posts: 747
Jan 8, 2026 | 3:54 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,906
Aer Lingus says it aims to minimise job losses as it eyes Manchester base closure Move will impact about 200 staff
https://www.independent.ie/business/...848591169.html
About 40 pilots are employed by Aer Lingus at Manchester. Its understood that about 30 of those would be free to return to operations out of Ireland. The remainder were hired out of the UK, its understood.
https://www.independent.ie/business/...848591169.html
About 40 pilots are employed by Aer Lingus at Manchester. Its understood that about 30 of those would be free to return to operations out of Ireland. The remainder were hired out of the UK, its understood.
Jan 8, 2026 | 4:43 pm
#22
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: London, Babylon-on-Thames
Programs: BAEC Blue (back to Earth)
Posts: 1,925
IAG warned Aer Lingus that their profitability was underperforming relative to the rest of the group. I'd bet they have modelling nos suggesting closing a stand alone UK subsidiary with stagnant growth and moving those two 'frames to support growth out of home base would be more profotable.
Jan 9, 2026 | 2:44 am
#25
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,060
Jan 9, 2026 | 2:47 am
#26
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: EIDW
Programs: Aer Lingus Concierge, Radisson Rewards VIP, BW Diamond, Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,841
EI was doing ok at MAN until the unions got involved and overplayed their hand, customer trust collapsed, profitability vanished and the staff now find themselves with no jobs.
Jan 9, 2026 | 3:51 am
#27
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,060
Jan 9, 2026 | 3:51 am
#28
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: BAEC Bronze, Flying Blue Platinum; Hilton Gold, IHG Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 831
Jan 9, 2026 | 4:15 am
#29
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: EI Concierge
Posts: 286
My sense is that MAN would go eventually, but the IR issues accelerated the timing by possibly 12-24 months. But who knows, all just speculation.
Jan 9, 2026 | 5:20 am
#30
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 136
Urgh nightmare as had one way from Manchester booked with Aer Club and the return is with Virgin. We live in Scotland so this is all a pain.
Spoke to aer club who were useless and put me onto aer lingus. Waited an hour to be told it has to be done through aer club.
Rang aer club again to be told they can't do anything until the flight is formally cancelled by aer lingus, who knows when by. So we may end up not having a Dublin option if the plane is full or be routed through London.
I'll wait and see. I would have gone both ways with virgin but wanted to use the last of our avios and the outbound virgin reward flights are stupid amounts of points.
All a bit messy but seems I can't do much. Aer Club customer service are awful, clearly overseas and extremely blunt and unhelpful.
If anyone has had more success with aer club please let me know!
Spoke to aer club who were useless and put me onto aer lingus. Waited an hour to be told it has to be done through aer club.
Rang aer club again to be told they can't do anything until the flight is formally cancelled by aer lingus, who knows when by. So we may end up not having a Dublin option if the plane is full or be routed through London.
I'll wait and see. I would have gone both ways with virgin but wanted to use the last of our avios and the outbound virgin reward flights are stupid amounts of points.
All a bit messy but seems I can't do much. Aer Club customer service are awful, clearly overseas and extremely blunt and unhelpful.
If anyone has had more success with aer club please let me know!