Aer Lingus to cut Belfast and Dublin flights

AER LINGUS began the first wave of its cost reductions yesterday by cutting flights from Dublin and Belfast.

The airline said there are no plans so far for cuts at other airports although its chairman Colm Barrington, said recently that cost reductions are on the way.

The airline also said it has no plans for job cuts at the moment.

The number of aircraft based in Belfast will be reduced from three to two for four months until the beginning of March 2010. The carrier will cut “at least one” aircraft at Dublin.

It will retain its controversial Belfast/London Heathrow route but will cut routes to Paris, Rome, Milan, Faro and Barcelona in Belfast.

The routes which will be affected in Dublin have yet to be decided, Aer Lingus spokesman Enda Corneille said.

“In winter people want to get away to the sun and that is the basis for the routes.”

Aer Lingus has set a target of 500,000 passengers in the first year of operation in Belfast and it already carried 750,000.

Ryanair, which is Aer Lingus’ largest shareholder said Aer Lingus was “simply rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic”.

Aer Lingus shares 1.6% to 59 cent yesterday while Ryanair increased 1% to €3.33.