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Aer Lingus manager says he felt 'cheated' after hearing rumour pilot he demoted was delivering training in Britain
Summary
A senior Aer Lingus manager who ordered the demotion of a pilot from captain to first officer has expressed feeling 'cheated' upon learning a rumour that the pilot was delivering training for a rival airline in Britain. The pilot, Declan McCabe, is pursuing multiple legal complaints against Aer Lingus, including under the Protected Disclosures Act and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, over his demotion in 2024. The incident in question occurred on 8 June 2023, when McCabe's flight failed to link up with a radio navigation beacon. The airline's chief pilot, Captain Eamon Kierans, testified that McCabe's aircraft was flying in the wrong direction until air traffic control intervened. McCabe disputes the company's findings, claiming he was not required to file a safety report and that the incident was a 'low severity' occurrence. Kierans criticized McCabe for rejecting internal safety systems and for providing inaccurate information. McCabe alleges he was targeted for whistleblowing, citing a prior dispute involving a flight operations safety officer.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Aer Lingus manager says he felt 'cheated' after hearing rumour pilot he demoted was delivering training in Britain. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- 8 June Incident
- 8 June 2023 Incident
- 1 January Other
- 13 May Other
- 2026-06-25 Publication
Why: There is dispute about the most likely reason for 8 June 2023 event, which was ultimately determined to be a "low severity" occurrence. CNI source report
Case subjects
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