Aer Lingus chief executive officer Dermot Mannion said he “cannot rule out” wider cutbacks to the airline's long-haul flight offerings as fuel costs rise.
"The situation is being kept under constant review and I cannot rule out further changes to the schedule as volatile conditions evolve," Mr Mannion told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport.
Aer Lingus, Ireland's second-largest airline, announced last month the suspension of its Dublin-Los Angeles route starting November 2nd and that it plans to cut long-haul capacity by 15 per cent for the winter season. The company has increased surcharges on long-haul flights to make up for rising spending on fuel.
Crude oil futures have risen 91 per cent in the last year and reached a record $145.85 on July 3rd.
Airlines worldwide may report combined losses of $6.1 billion this year, the worst since 2003, as spiralling fuel costs and slowing economies wipe out earnings, the International Air Transport Association said on June 2nd.
Mr Mannion also said the European Union's plan to add airlines to its emissions-trading system, which imposes carbon-dioxide emissions limits on businesses, may cost Aer Lingus €39 million ($61.2 million) when the rules are introduced in 2012.
The cost would rise to over €205 million over the next four years, Mr Mannion said.
Bloomberg