Senior Schedules Planner

The Senior Schedules Planner leads the design, optimisation, and delivery of Aer Lingus’ seasonal and long‑term flight schedules, playing a pivotal role in translating Aer Lingus’ strategic and commercial ambitions into optimised, resilient, and operationally deliverable flight schedules. The role is central to maximising revenue, enhancing connectivity, and ensuring the efficient utilisation of aircraft, crew, ground, and maintenance resources

The Senior Schedules Planner will develop peak sample schedules (3–10 years ahead), detailed seasonal schedules (6-18 months ahead), and the management of the live schedule through to handover to the Operations Control Centre (OCC). The role also acts as a senior advisor to internal stakeholders and provides leadership within the Schedules Planning team.

Principal Accountabilities Strategic & Technical Scheduling Leadership

Lead the design, optimisation, & delivery of complex IATA seasonal schedules, ensuring alignment with commercial, operational, & maintenance requirements.

Develop and evaluate long‑term schedule scenarios (3–10 years), incorporating fleet strategy, market growth, & partnership opportunities.

Provide expert guidance on schedule viability, identifying risks, constraints, & trade‑off.

Operational & Commercial Optimisation

Use advanced scheduling tools & analytics to maximise utilisation, connectivity & revenue potential

Integrate OTP data to identify structural issues and implement corrective actions.

Ensure operational constraints (e.g. curfews, infrastructure limitations, manpower resources, payload restrictions) are proactively & rigorously assessed & addressed.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Influence

Act as a senior liaison with Fleet, Maintenance, OCC, Crew Planning, & Slot Management to ensure schedule deliverability & alignment with operational plans.

Work closely with Commercial to enhance connecting flows, improve traffic volumes, & support revenue initiatives.

Engage with partner airlines to ensure schedule compatibility & strategic alignment.

Governance, Reporting & Stakeholder Communication

Produce high‑quality utilisation, a/cr availability, standby, & schedule performance reports.

Present schedule iterations, risks and recommendations to executive management.

Ensure accurate & timely handover to Schedules Distribution for public release.

Analyse existing scheduling processes & tools, identifying opportunities for automation, optimisation, & enhanced decision‑making.

Lead & contribute to system developments, data improvements, & process redesign initiatives.

Provide mentoring, coaching, & technical guidance to Schedules Planners and Specialists.

Deputise for the Schedules Planning Manager when required.

Support training & capability development across the wider team.

Prepare and deliver seasonal schedule presentations to internal and external stakeholders

Your qualifications and key criteria Essential Qualifications/Experience:

Significant experience in airline scheduling, network planning, or operational planning.

Proven ability to communicate complex information clearly and concisely to senior and executive audiences.

Deep specialist knowledge of airline scheduling, network planning principles, operational constraints, and industry regulations.

Broad understanding of commercial drivers, fleet strategy, maintenance planning, crew requirements, and airport slot processes.

Advanced analytical and numerical capability with strong decision‑making skills.

High proficiency in analytical tools, scheduling systems, and data‑driven optimisation techniques.

Ability to problem solve in a complex environment with multiple, often conflicting constraints, and deliver high quality scheduling solutions against tight deadlines.

Strong communication and influencing capability to engage senior stakeholders and translate complex scheduling issues into clear recommendations and the ability to drive cross‑functional alignment

Collaborative, adaptable, and comfortable challenging traditional approaches.

High level of initiative, problem‑solving ability, and ownership of outcomes.

Broad-based airline experience across long‑haul, short‑haul, and near‑term planning.

Experience with Astral or other airline scheduling/PSS systems.

Deep understanding of Aer Lingus’ network, fleet, and operational constraints.

Closing Date: 13th March 2026

At Aer Lingus, we embrace diversity and believe in providing equal opportunities to all qualified individuals. We are dedicated to cultivating an inclusive and respectful work environment that values employees' unique backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We do not discriminate based on race, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other protected status. If you have any questions or require any accommodations to support you in your application, please contact us at recruit@aerlingus.com.

Contract type employee recruitment - permanent

Job location Republic of Ireland, Dublin, Dublin

Vacancy Reference number 005247

About us At Aer Lingus, we believe in going above and beyond to connect people, places and possibilities. Whether working at the airport, in our offices or at home - every employee has a role to play in making Aer Lingus the heart of travel to, through and beyond Ireland for generations to come. How do we do this? We Put Safety First. There's nothing more important. We Are Customer Focused. We champion the customer and go above and beyond to get things just right for them. We're Stronger Together. With a ‘how can I help?' attitude, we communicate and collaborate to achieve shared success. We Own It. We do what we say we're going to do and always follow through. We Look Forward. We build the future by embracing change today.

What we offer As well as offering you a competitive salary, career advancement opportunities and staff travel benefits (with Aer Lingus and many other international airlines), you will also have the opportunity to work in a dynamic and collaborative environment and to join a team of amazing professionals who are passionate about the aviation industry. To learn more about the exciting benefits and opportunities that await you at Aer Lingus please visit our website.

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