Aer Lingus and United partnership to end in October

DARA KELLY,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Sunday, August 5, 2012, 9:31 AM

Updated Sunday, August 5, 2012, 9:31 AM

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Aer Lingus

Irish airline Aer Lingus is in the midst of severance talks with 61 cabin crew in the United States as the airline plans terminate a service it operates in a joint venture with United Continental.

Acording to the Irish Independent, in 2010 Aer Lingus and United, which merged with Continental the same year, formed a partnership to operate a daily flight between Washington DC and Madrid, Spain.

Aer Lingus provided the one aircraft used on the route and hired dozens of US staff as cabin crew, and seconded 16 of its pilots from Dublin to crew the Washington-Madrid route, while United sold the tickets for the route and marketed it.

According to the Independent, the service has been profitable for the Irish carrier. However, the move sparked controversy in the US. With the help of unions earlier this year, the cabin crew argued for the same pay and benefits that colleagues in both United and Aer Lingus were receiving.

Pilots from United picketed outside the White House earlier this week.The pilots have been trying to negotiate new contracts with the airline, and they claim that Unites is offshoring jobs with the Aer Lingus joint venture. United Continental has told Aer Lingus it is exiting the partnership the end of October, but would continue to retain a codeshare agreement with Aer Lingus.

According to the Irish Independent, an Aer Lingus spokesman said that both airlines had an option to cancel the agreement at three months' notice and that Aer Lingus respected United's decision to do so. He added that the 16 pilots it used on the service would be returning to duties in Dublin.

The spokesman declined to comment on severance pay for the cabin crew, saying only that the airline was "in discussions" with the affected staff members.

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bobby | Aug 05, 2012, 01:48 PM EDT

Aerlingus have orders for 9 Airbus A350-900, 4 in 2015 2 in 2016, 3 in 2018. Hopefully when these planes are delivered they will open up more direct routes to the states, i read recently they want to fly Dublin - LA, and Dublin - Dubai again to compete with Emirates. China is another route they are interested in. They are also in talks with Boeing for the 787 Dreamliner.

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Frosty38 | Aug 05, 2012, 01:15 PM EDT

I think it a good thing. I only wish EI would get more non stops from Orlando. I;m travel consultant and i know the game a gate for a gate. I;m doing a gruop next year and the bad thing is the add on to get out of orlando to Dublin. forget Shannon there are no non stops to orlando. A lot of seniors don't like connecting. The flights are bad enough without getting around in other airports. The domestic is no at all close to the International. Boston worse for Aer Lingus from Orlado you have to pick up your luggage and recheck it in at Aer Lingus

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bobby | Aug 05, 2012, 12:56 PM EDT

It is the best of rural ireland & scenery, but most tourists want to go to Dublin for the history, they tend to start in Dublin then travel around the country. The demand is not at shannon as much as in Dublin. If Americans as you say want to land in the west, you would have many american airlines using the west. But they don't.... No demand. The government don't run aerlingus they own a quarter of the shares which will be sold off soon.

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Padraig8 | Aug 05, 2012, 10:41 AM EDT

Well it seems the visits to Ireland just keep getting harder and harder,my main gripe is the diffucty in getting a reasonable priced flight to Shannon as it seems the gov in Dublin wants to steer us to the big city. The west of Ireland is the best of Ireland so why can they not see that most Us travlers want to land in Clare and make it a direct destination as it was. SNN beautiful aeroport and beautiful people

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