Aer Lingus confirms shutdown of Manchester base by March
Aer Lingus confirms shutdown of Manchester base by March
Tens of thousands of passengers booked on transatlantic flights from Manchester airport have had their travel plans torn up after Aer Lingus confirmed the closure of its base. Around 200 staff will be affected, the majority of them cabin crew.
The final flights will return to the northwest England hub on the morning of 31 March – but the New York link will close before that.
The Irish airline’s statement reads: “A decision has been taken to cease Aer Lingus’ Manchester transatlantic operations as of and from 31 March 2026. Manchester-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 to reaccommodate affected customers.
“We understand that this is disappointing news and apologise for the disruption to our customers.
Tens of thousands of passengers booked on transatlantic flights from Manchester airport have had their travel plans torn up after Aer Lingus confirmed the closure of its base. Around 200 staff will be affected, the majority of them cabin crew.
The final flights will return to the northwest England hub on the morning of 31 March – but the New York link will close before that.
The Irish airline’s statement reads: “A decision has been taken to cease Aer Lingus’ Manchester transatlantic operations as of and from 31 March 2026. Manchester-New York operations will cease from 23 February 2026
