AER LINGUS the soon to be privatised Irish state airline, has unveiled a cost-cutting plan designed to shed 1,300 jobs as it revamps itself to compete with the budget cost carriers. Whilst substantial redundancy offerings have been made the Irish Unions are flexing their muscles and threatening strike action. Aer Lingus is to scrap its short haul business class next summer and plans to expand its European network from Cork with services to Rome, Munich, Nice and Faro. It already flies to seven destinations from Cork, the European Capital of Culture in 2005.
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