Aer Lingus workers are to seek guarantees on hundreds of jobs after it emerged the airline is planning a major outsourcing programme.

The moves are part of an enormous preparatory project by senior managers ahead of the announcement of a cost-cutting plan, which will be unveiled by the end of the month.

Sources said staff would be given the option of transferring to the new contractor or accepting a severance package.

Baggage handlers, caterers, check-in staff, loaders and staff working in the cargo terminal are likely to be affected.

Aer Lingus announced it would review its operational costs last month after reporting losses of €22m for the first-half of the year, blaming spiralling oil prices for the downturn in its fortunes.

There has been speculation that up to 1,300 ground staff jobs could be axed but sources at Aer Lingus denied that any concrete redundancy figures had been decided. An Aer Lingus spokesman would not deny the outsourcing proposals were afoot, but said he was “not confirming them”.

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