Courts / Dublin / Report

Demoted Aer Lingus pilot could start return to airline command within weeks, tribunal hears

Date
2026-06-15

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

A demoted Aer Lingus pilot, Declan McCabe, may be able to return to command within weeks, according to the airline's chief pilot, John Kelly. McCabe was demoted following an incident at Dublin Airport in 2023, where an Airbus A321neo failed to link up with the radio navigation beacon for the new north runway. McCabe claimed the event was a "non-event" and that he had the discretion to decide whether to report it. The tribunal heard that McCabe had written directly to the regulator without copying his manager, Captain Colm Wynne, due to concerns about retribution. McCabe was taken off flying duties pending a safety probe and was later demoted. His legal team argued that he was penalized for raising protected disclosures, while the airline maintained that McCabe failed to fulfill safety reporting duties. The tribunal is continuing, with the chief pilot stating that McCabe may be able to return to command after spending enough time on the line under review.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Demoted Aer Lingus pilot could start return to airline command within weeks, tribunal hears. Procedural stage: trial

When:

8 June Incident
14 June Other
23 June Incident
4 July Incident
August 2023 Other
September 2023 Other
1 January 2024 Other
3 July Incident
2026-06-15 Publication

Why: The parties dispute whether the most likely reason for the event, which was ultimately determined to be a "low severity" occurrence. CNI source report