Aer Lingus is asking staff to consider taking voluntary redundancies - but it is not connected with the IAG takeover bid.

The airline employs close to 4,000 people - it notified workers that all staff - bar pilots - who have been working for the company for over two years can now apply for voluntary redundancies.

Those who choose to leave Aer Lingus will be offered a severance deal that will include six weeks pay for every year worked in the company - and a series of long-service bonuses starting at €5,000 after 10 years, and running to €20,000 after 25 years.

The overall amount that can be paid-out is capped at €200,000.

This is part of a two year cost-cutting programme called the cost optimisation and revenue excellence (CORE) plan that was introduced by outgoing chief executive, Christoph Mueller.

A redundancy scheme was introduced in 2013. While some staff members expressed their interests in voluntary redundancies at that time - uncertainty over the pension scheme that the airline shared with the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) meant that they were ultimately unwilling to leave.

Staff have since been moved to a defined contribution plan as part of an overall settlement of the pension row.

It is unclear how many jobs the company hopes to cut.