Aer Lingus accepts pensions advice

Aer Lingus management has said it "reluctantly accepts" a recommendation from an expert panel that it should pay almost €200m towards the pensions of its current and former staff — though its shareholders must still give the green light.

The panel was appointed by the Government, Ibec, and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to review the Irish Aviation Super-annuation Scheme, which is more than €750m in deficit and which has members in Aer Lingus and Dublin Airport Authority.

Earlier this month, the panel recommended that Aer Lingus pay €146.7m towards the pensions of its current staff — €36.7m more than recommended by the Labour Court in 2013.