Irish airline, Aer Lingus, has reported a loss for 2009.

Its profit of 66.2m euros was down on last year’s as long haul passenger numbers fell severely.

An Aer Lingus cost-cutting proposal was recently given to unions which have refused to accept that there will be a cut of some 20% in staff levels.

The company had suggested pilots, middle management, maintenance staff and some ground staff should go in a reshuffle.

Aer Lingus will now have to make a greater provision for the blocked cost-cutting measures, which would have saved it 97 million euros in annual operating costs.