Aer Lingus, the flag carrier of Ireland since 1936 that has operated since the earliest days of commercial aviation, currently flies to more than 20 destinations in the U.S. on either a permanent or seasonal basis.

Flights from Dublin to Raleigh-Durham and Pittsburgh are also scheduled to launch in April and May of 2026, respectively. The carrier had previously flown to U.S. cities such as New York and Boston not just from a number of Irish cities, but also from its second base at Manchester Airport (MAN) in northern England.

Amid poor traffic numbers out of the city, Aer Lingus executives had previously sent staff a November 2025 note saying that it was “difficult to justify further investment” in it and explored “whether there are potentially better alternative uses of the two aircraft” that were used there.

“We understand that this is disappointing news”: Aer Lingus

While the airline had previously avoided press questions about a timeline, the BBC was the first to report that customers with booked tickets between JFK and Manchester Airport (MAN) past Feb. 23 received emails telling them that the flight was canceled.

Aer Lingus has now confirmed that it is canceling the flight and ending all transatlantic operations out of the Manchester base by March 31.

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“We understand that this is disappointing news and apologise [Irish spelling] for the disruption to our customers,” an airline spokesperson said in a statement.

Customers who booked travel on any U.S. flights out of Manchester will receive refunds — the cancellation was also announced with enough time to plan alternative transportation — while Aer Lingus will run a special flight to Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) in Barbados from Dublin throughout April and May.

Those who were scheduled to fly to Barbados from Manchester during those months will have the option to be reaccommodated on the flight from Dublin. The Manchester base was launched in 2021 with this inaugural flight from Barbados.

Flights out of Manchester to Ireland and other European destinations are at this moment unaffected, but the cancellation sows further doubt about the Manchester hub’s long-term future.

Aer Lingus opened its base in Manchester in October 2021.

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Aer Lingus travelers can contact airline to “request an alternative flight or refund”

Aer Lingus has also not issued a statement about the employment of approximately 200 staff based out of the city; since the November memo, fears of layoffs have continued to circulate.

“We appreciate our customers’ patience and cooperation during this time, as we contact customers directly regarding their flights,” the Aer Lingus spokesperson said further. “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.”

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Last fall, Manchester Airport became the site of a four-day strike, after which workers at the base rejected a 9% pay rise after years of negotiations, The Independent reported. The short period of time between the strike and the movement around potentially exiting the base lead to criticism and speculation around Aer Lingus’ stated reasons for wanting to pull out of Manchester.

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