Workers at TEAM have until the end of this week to accept the £54.5 million offer from Aer Lingus to buy out their letters of guarantee. Around 80 per cent of staff has now accepted the offer, which leaves approximately 300 employees who have not yet replied.

The acceptances will clear the way for Aer Lingus to sell the aircraft subsidiary to FLS Industries, the Danish-based conglomerate which also has aerospace interests.

However, the airline has said it will not be able to improve its offer of allowing Aer Lingus workers to retain their shares in the company for up to three years after they join FLS. Aer Lingus employees own 5 per cent of the airline and some employees were unhappy at eventually having to sell their shares.

The company has also said it is not in a position to offer what is known as interline travel to staff who transfer to FLS. This would allow the employees to travel at a concessionary rate on other airlines.

However in a letter to TEAM employees yesterday, Aer Lingus said its chairman Mr Bernie Cahill has asked management to pursue the concept of discounted travel with other airlines. FLS is to be asked to help in this regard.

Aer Lingus had been asked to pursue those two issues by the Minister for Public Enterprise, Mrs O'Rourke. The company said it expected to meet FLS later this week to finalise details of the £26 million deal to sell TEAM.

A spokesman said the airline was happy that sufficient numbers with the requisite skills had accepted the offer to transfer to FLS.

In its letter the company again stressed that there would be a good future with FLS and that there would be no more than 30 to 40 maintenance jobs in the airline when the deal has been completed.