Irish airline Aer Lingus plans 500 job cuts as fuel prices soar

LONDON, July 16 (Reuters) - Irish airline Aer Lingus could cut up to 500 jobs as part of a reorganisation, it said, citing high costs and a challenging economic environment as the sector grapples with surging oil prices due mainly to the U.S.-Iran war.

The airline, which has already cut senior management roles by a quarter, plans to reduce wider employee costs by about the same level while making network changes to remove lower margin flying, it said in a statement on Thursday.

That would lower overall flying by 6%, including some long-haul and short-haul routes, it said, adding that it was also focused on reducing supplier costs.

The measures come after its parent company, London-listed IAG, issued a profit warning in May, cautioning that high jet fuel costs and supply disruptions due to the war would weigh more heavily on earnings than previously expected.

"Our accelerated transformation aims to ... ensure the airline is a strong investment case and able to weather the turbulence in our industry," Aer Lingus Chief Executive Lynne Embleton said in Thursday's statement.

The airline, which operates over 100 routes between Europe and North America, is aiming for an operating margin of 12%-15% over the medium term to attract investment, it said.

Its 2025 operating margin of 11.1% compared with margins of more than 15% at fellow IAG-owned airlines British Airways and Iberia.

(Reporting by Muvija M. Editing by Mark Potter)