Fuel price hikes and rising competition see Aer Lingus losses deepen to €103m

Chief executive Lynne Embleton said the airline was 'not immune' to the sharp rises in fuel prices

Lynne Embleton, CEO, Aer Lingus, pictured at Dublin Airport Pic: Naoise Culhane

Losses at Aer Lingus deepened at the beginning of 2026, totaling €103m in what the airline called typically the worst quarter of the year.

The company said the first three months of this year were hit by several additional challenging macro-economic factors, including fuel price hikes and rising carbon costs. This, Aer Lingus said, was further compounded by increased competitive capacity on transatlantic routes.