Aer Lingus strike called off

Aer Lingus: Hit by dip in transatlantic travel and low cost rivals

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Pilots at Ireland's national airline have called off a strike planned to protest against proposed layoffs.

Their union, Impact, struck a deal with Aer Lingus bosses which gives pilots until February 15 to accept voluntary redundancy packages while the company has agreed not to impose any more compulsory layoffs.

The pilots had original voted overwhelmingly -- 475 to 14 -- for strike action over the company's plan to make 80 pilots redundant.

Union assistant general secretary Michael Landers told The Associated Press: "We have always said that the solution for this was for the company to withdraw the notices of compulsory redundancy.

"That has been done. We have also asked that both sides should enter a process to examine all mechanisms for addressing the pilot surplus."

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An Aer Lingus spokesman said the carrier welcomed the removal of the strike threat.

Aer Lingus has been losing about $2 million a day in recent months and its problems deepened after September 11 when traffic fell on its most profitable transatlantic routes.

The company has also been hit by the rise of no-frills airline Ryanair, which has stormed ahead recently with plans to buy more planes and open new routes.