Overview
- Aer Lingus has removed from sale all Manchester long‑haul flights to New York‑JFK, Orlando and Bridgetown for travel on or after 31 March 2026.
- The airline says the step is to minimize disruption as it reviews the future of the Manchester long‑haul base during an ongoing staff consultation.
- Management has told staff the base is profitable but its operating margin significantly trails Aer Lingus’s Irish long‑haul performance.
- Internal messages reported by Irish media say efforts to improve the base’s margin have not proved viable, with phased reduction, redeployment and severance options under discussion.
- Local reporting indicates roughly 200 jobs could be at risk if the base closes, and Aer Lingus says short‑haul links to Dublin and Belfast are unaffected while customers with existing bookings are being contacted, with some offered refunds or rerouting via Dublin.