More than 60 Aer Lingus workers found they had been axed yesterday after first getting a text from management informing them of a "major jobs announcement".

The text informed the 63 cabin crew to expect a phone call and it was by telephone they learned they were losing their jobs.

One union official described the way the workers had been informed as "a disgrace".

Of the 63 temporary staff, 56 work on short-haul flights and are based at Dublin Airport. The remainder, who also work on short haul, are based out of Cork airport.

There was outrage yesterday after the company informed the workers that they would lose their positions on Monday.

The blow also comes as sources said cabin crew and pilots are likely to be targeted in a new cost-cutting plan to be announced before the end of the month.

Final touches are being put to the programme of cost-savings after the airline unveiled losses of €93m in the first-half of the year -- its worst ever six-month performance.

Chairman Colm Barrington recently said that pay-cuts are definitely on the agenda for the workforce of more than 3,000.

Management last night said the reduction in the temporary staff, whose contracts were "naturally coming to an end", was due to the knock-on effect of a reduction in flights.

However, it said all the affected cabin crew had been offered jobs at Gatwick Airport and some had applied.

IMPACT said some of the cabin crew received the calls as they were on changeovers between flights, and had to continue working their next flight.

"I have been speaking to these workers today and they are devastated. There is a lot of shock and anger at how they have been treated by the company," said IMPACT official Christina Carney.

The cabin crew branch committee of IMPACT is planning a meeting to discuss the compulsory redundancies on Thursday. It will put alternative proposals to the company.

The union has written to the new chief executive, Christoph Mueller, expressing disappointment. It accuses the airline of "walking away from an agreement" made in November that protected the employment of the temporary cabin crew in exchange for a cost-cutting package valued at €15m.

An Aer Lingus spokesperson said the workers' fixed-term contracts were due to come to an end shortly. She said the workers were informed following a meeting between management and IMPACT at the Labour Relations Commission on Monday.

The airline plans to slash short-haul services over the winter.