Aer Lingus finally confirms closure of Manchester Airport base by the end of March 2026
January 29, 2026
After weeks of speculation, Irish airline Aer Lingus has confirmed it will close its long-haul base at Manchester Airport (MAN) with the loss of around 200 jobs.
All other Aer Lingus or Aer Lingus Regional (Emerald Airlines) operated flights between Manchester Airport and Ireland are unaffected.
Earlier in January, the airline said that it was consulting with staff on the possible closure of the Manchester transatlantic operation and advised that all future flights would be taken off sale while that consultation took place.
Aer Lingus confirms the closure of its Manchester Airport transatlantic base
Aer Lingus has finally confirmed that its Manchester Airport base will close. The decision comes after the airline’s operation from the airport has continuously underperformed since the carrier first began direct transatlantic operation from the northern UK airport in October 2021.
According to information from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, the airline had load factors of just 74.5% on its long-haul routes from Manchester in 2024, transporting just over 320,000 passengers in total.
Currently, the carrier offers a trio of long-haul flights from Manchester using its Airbus A330-300 aircraft under its Aer Lingus UK brand, operating to destinations such as Bridgetown in Barbados (BGI), New York-JFK (JFK), and Orlando (MCO).
The airline said that the final transatlantic flights from the airport will depart on 30 March, with the aircraft making its final landing back at the airport on the morning of 31 March. However, the carrier’s flagship Manchester to New York-JFK route will close before then.
According to an Aer Lingus statement, “A decision has been taken to cease Aer Lingus’ Manchester transatlantic operations as of and from 31 March 2026. Manchester to New York operations will cease from 23 February 2026.
Aer Lingus plans to operate a service from Dublin to Barbados (subject to receipt of necessary approvals) during the months of April and May 2026 to reaccommodate affected customers.
“We understand that this is disappointing news and apologise for the disruption to our customers,” said the airline. “All impacted customers are being informed of the cancellation of flights directly and provided with reaccommodation and refund options.”
As reported by the BBC, meetings have already been held between the airline and staff representatives about the cut in services and the terms of a severance package at the Manchester base.
“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,” the airline added.
The announcement follows a period of consultation with staff
The confirmation of the closure of the Manchester transatlantic operation has been widely expected by those in the travel industry for weeks.
In a statement issued by Aer Lingus on 9 January, the carrier said that the performance of its Manchester base had been subpar. “Despite all of the work and best efforts of the team, the Manchester long-haul operating margin performance continues to significantly lag behind that of Aer Lingus’s Irish long-haul operating margin. This situation has prompted a necessary consideration of the long-term viability of the Manchester base.”
At the time, the carrier also confirmed that it was already in discussions with staff at the Manchester base to brief them on the airline’s ongoing performance. It also confirmed that the staff would enter into a collective consultation process to explore options related to the base, signalling that a possible closure was imminent.
As reported by The Independent, a representative of the Unite union that represents many of the Aer Lingus staff who will lose their jobs as a result of the closure, said, “Our focus at the moment is supporting our members at the airline through the consultation process and this difficult time.”
“Unite is currently in the process of negotiating enhanced redundancy terms and redeployment of staff over to Ireland, and we are committed to securing the best possible outcome for our hardworking, dedicated members at Aer Lingus.”
Passengers’ plans left in the air by the announcement
With the airline confirming that the base will close by the end of March 2026, the announcement is expected to impact the travel plans of thousands of passengers already booked on its services both this summer and in the future.
Travellers whose flights are cancelled are entitled to be flown to their destination via the same route, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). However, at this stage, Aer Lingus is only offering to passengers affected by the Manchester base closure that they travel on Aer Lingus services to the US via Dublin or accept a full refund.
In a statement on its website, Aer Lingus said, “All impacted customers are being informed of the cancellation of flights directly and provided with reaccommodation and refund options. We appreciate our customers’ patience and cooperation during this time, as we contact customers directly regarding their flights.”
‘If you have already contacted us to request an alternative flight or refund, please be assured that we are working on your request and will be in touch in due course.’
An Aer Lingus spokesperson told The Independent, “Comparable transport conditions under UK Regulation 261/2004 relate to the overall provision of transport to the final destination and do not require an airline to replicate every aspect of the original journey structure or to provide an identical nonstop service on another carrier.”
As reported by The Daily Mail, a Manchester Airport spokesperson commented, “Aer Lingus has taken the decision to stop offering long-haul flights from its Manchester base, but it is important to be clear it will retain a significant presence here in Manchester thanks to its short-haul network.
“All Aer Lingus’s long-haul routes from Manchester, including New York, Orlando and Barbados, are also served by other airlines operating here, so [the decision] doesn’t affect our overall connectivity,” the airport concluded.
Featured image: alfonsosm | stock.adobe.com
