Aer Lingus paid a €225m dividend to its UK-based holding firm last year as profit levels at the Irish carrier continued to grow.

The figure is higher than the €200m that was paid in 2017 – which was the first time the airline had paid a dividend since it was acquired by IAG in 2015 for €1.36bn.

The latest big dividend payment comes as Aer Lingus staff continue to fight for a share of the carrier’s profits.

A recent ballot saw 92pc of its ground staff reject a Labour Court recommendation that they receive a €300 voucher from the carrier, rather than the profit-sharing mechanism they have been pushing for.

A separate ballot saw 96pc of Aer Lingus cabin crew and pilots reject the proposals finalised last January by the Labour Court. It recommended that Aer Lingus deliver a 1pc pay rise and give staff members €300 vouchers on a one-off basis.

IAG has invested heavily in Aer Lingus since it acquired it, boosting its long-haul network to North America and increasing its fleet size.

It has recently begun taking deliveries of the new Airbus A321LR, which is primarily destined for use in the North American market.

Last year, the carrier announced plans to expand its transatlantic fleet to 30 aircraft from 17 by 2023.

Aer Lingus generated a €305m operating profit last year – a new record for the group and 13.8pc higher than in 2017. Its revenue rose 8.8pc to €2.02bn.

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