AER LINGUS PASSENGER LEVELS FALL.

Byline: By MICHELLE O'KEEFFE

AER Lingus admitted yesterday the number of passengers using their airline nosedived last month.

The amount of people booking flights with the company fell by 3.6 per cent in November compared to the same month in 2007.

An Aer Lingus spokesman said: "The reduction in traffic reflected the uncertainty created by the notice of industrial action received during the month and the continuing weakness of the US long-haul market."

The former state airline carried 741,000 passengers last month. The number of holidaymakers jetting off on short-haul flights fell by 1.2 per cent while passenger numbers were 17.2 per cent lower on long-haul flights.

However, load factor - the proportion of seats filled - on short-haul flights was 71.8 per cent which the airline insists is "on a par with last year".

The capacity increased 2.4 per cent over the period. While the load factor on long-haul flights dropped to 72.9 per cent, down from 81 per cent compared with November 2007, despite a 10.8 per cent drop in capacity.

But Aer Lingus shares climbed yesterday morning 16c or 11.85 per cent to EUR1.51 despite their drop in passenger numbers.

Siptu members this week voted to accept the Aer Lingus cost-cutting measures aimed at saving the national carrier around EUR24.5million and will result in redundancies and lower pay for staff.

The union had threatened a possible strike last month to protest at the airline's intention to outsource 1,300 jobs which would have resulted in airport chaos at Christmas.

And Ryanair on Thursday moved further in its takeover approach for Aer Lingus by promising the Government outright control over Aer Lingus slots at Heathrow airport and to recognise trade unions in the airline.

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PLUMMET Aer Lingus