Aer Lingus is to cut 500 jobs due to effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The airline said today that the outbreak has had a "catastrophic" effect on the aviation industry. Aer Lingus is currently operating just five percent of its normal schedule. The company added that the situation has been “exacerbated” by Ireland's 14-day quarantine requirement for arriving passengers, as well as the government's advice against all non-essential travel. Aer Lingus has informed Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty of the planned redundancies. "Ireland has failed to take steps that other European Member States have taken they have progressively restored transport services and connectivity in response to a European Commission invitation to do so," reads the statement, according to RTÉ News.  "The requirement to reduce the size of the airline in response to the crisis means that today Aer Lingus has issued a notification to the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection regarding proposed collective redundancies in the airline. "Aer Lingus has informed the Minister that headcount reductions of up to 500 employees across the business are anticipated."