Aer Lingus confirms Manchester Airport base closure
Aer Lingus confirmed (28-Jan-2026) plans to close its base at Manchester Airport by 31-Mar-2026, suspending trans-Atlantic operations from Manchester to Bridgetown, New York JFK and Orlando. The base opened in 2021 and was operated by Aer Lingus UK. The carrier stated: "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". [more - Aviation Week]
Background ✨
Aer Lingus suspended sales for its trans-Atlantic services from Manchester from 31-Mar-2026 and confirmed there would be no impact to its regional services connecting Manchester with Ireland. The base, launched in Oct-2021, was closed due to poor margin performance and underperformance compared to the rest of the network. Unite the Union responded with plans to ballot members on industrial action over the closure plans, with possible strikes from late Feb-20261 2 3 4.