AER LINGUS has agreed to hire 96 staff from SR Technics (SRT) to help carry out its Dublin-based line maintenance on its aircraft.

Swiss-owned SRT, which decided to close its Irish operation earlier this year, employed about 220 staff in line maintenance.

SRT and Aer Lingus had been in talks for several months about the line maintenance contract, which was only renewed by the airline last year. The staff will transfer to a newly established Aer Lingus subsidiary and will provide fleet maintenance services.

Aer Lingus already employs 72 staff on line maintenance, so this will bring its headcount in this area to 164. The staff will be employed on Aer Lingus terms and conditions. Aer Lingus also said it had reached agreement with the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) for a 20-year licence on Hangar 6 at Dublin airport. Aer Lingus also plans to locate its flight operations activities in the facility, which covers 28,000sq m.

Aer Lingus chief executive Christoph Mueller said: “I am satisfied that this is a positive development for Aer Lingus maintenance that will enable the insourcing of line maintenance of our own aircraft into the Aer Lingus group on a cost-effective basis.

“The new arrangements for Hangar 6 will allow us to bring under one roof key areas of our operation, fostering greater synergies and teamwork. It is yet another example of the transformation under way at Aer Lingus.”

DAA commercial director Jack MacGowan said: “This agreement is another concrete example of how the DAA is working with its airline customers to deliver the necessary long-term facilities that they require.”