Aer Lingus hopes to avoid pay cuts in bid to lower costs

AER LINGUS chief executive Christoph Mueller offered the hope that staff will not be subjected to possible pay cuts until next year at the earliest, with the airline committed to “finding other ways” to lower costs.

Speaking after the airline’s annual general meeting, Mr Mueller also said the main reason for Aer Lingus’s current difficulties was the “very, very weak outlook” of the Irish economy and high fuel prices.

He said the company would be going to the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) seeking a reduction on airport charges. A DAA spokesman said: “Dublin Airport’s charges are more than 25% cheaper than their European peers.”