Aer Lingus reports massive rise in profits
The airline reported an operating profit of €135 million for the three months to June, up nearly 50 percent compared to the same period last year.
For the first half of the year, Aer Lingus earned €80 million in operating profit, a dramatic increase from just €9 million during the same period in 2024.
This improvement comes as Aer Lingus ramps up its international network, particularly across North America.
This summer, the carrier launched new direct routes from Dublin to Nashville and Indianapolis and announced its first-ever direct service to Cancún, Mexico, which is set to begin in January.
The airline also expanded its European leisure network, contributing to a 10.9 percent increase in overall capacity and a 4.3 percent rise in passenger numbers.
Aer Lingus, part of the International Airlines Group (IAG), has benefited from strong travel demand and favourable fuel pricing.
Parent company IAG reported robust earnings for the first half of the year, with operating profit before exceptional items rising 43.5 percent to €1.9 billion.
Pre-tax profits surged to £1.75 billion, up from £1.05 billion last year, while group revenue rose 8 percent to €15.9 billion.
IAG chief executive Luis Gallego credited the group's ongoing transformation and the structural shift in consumer spending toward travel for the performance.
While Aer Lingus is riding high on financial momentum, it is also voicing frustration over new planning restrictions at Dublin Airport.
An Coimisiún Pleanála, Ireland's national planning authority, recently imposed a limit on nighttime aircraft movements, capping them at 35,672 flights annually.
The new ruling also extends operating hours for the airport's north runway to between 6am and midnight, while the older south runway remains open through the night.
A proposed quota system will manage nighttime noise, but major airlines, including Aer Lingus and Ryanair, argue the changes will stunt growth.
Aer Lingus chief executive Lynne Embleton criticised the decision, warning that it threatens the airline's ability to expand both its transatlantic and short-haul services.
She called for government intervention to remove the cap and resolve the uncertainty surrounding overall passenger limits at Dublin Airport.
'This restriction on nighttime movements will have to be removed,' she said. 'It will have negative economic and employment impacts if not addressed.'
Gallego said the group expects continued earnings growth and margin expansion through the rest of the year, backed by sustained travel demand and investment in technology and fleet upgrades.
See More: Aer Lingus, Dublin Aiport, IAG, Profits
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