Aer Lingus hopes new flights to America will boost its earnings
AER LINGUS hopes growing demand for its long-haul links between Ireland and North America will push earnings higher this year, after the firm posted a 2.2 per cent slide in pre-tax profits to €39.5m (£32.6m) for 2013.
The airline said a sweltering summer had kept some passengers at home, hitting traffic particularly on its short-haul flights, which generated more than half of last year’s €1.4bn revenues.
Passenger numbers fell 0.3 per cent to 9.6m, while the average fare rose 1.2 per cent to €121.62. “It was a year of two halves and certainly a year of two networks,” boss Christoph Mueller told City A.M.
Long-haul revenues rose 11.1 per cent last year, and Mueller said extra flights to New York and new services to San Francisco and Toronto would help the airline develop its transatlantic network.
Aer Lingus said it will push on with cuts intended to address its pension scheme’s funding hole, despite plans for strike action on St Patrick’s Day over the changes.