Ireland and the US are currently negotiating a "side" deal, which the Irish government hopes to "stitch into" the new EU/US Open Skies deal once it comes about. Trouble is, it's a bit of a stitch up, because it's not actually Open Skies and will mean access to Ireland is more restricted than to any other EU nation.
Hopefully the EU will be able to stamp out this little plan, but with Loyola now apparently digging her heels in for something the US is determined not to give, I'm just wondering when the EU will next be visiting Planet Reality.
Ireland wants the stopover to continue for another six years, albeit with a phased reduction in SNN flights from the current 1:1, to 2:1 (which would allow EI to add 3 more daily flights) and finally, to 3:1, after which the stopover would be done away with. The Americans say SNN has already had ten years to get used to the stopover being out of the way. Of course, the Irish govt has to play to the powerful SNN lobby, but it is also saying that it doesn't want SNN to have less traffic after the stopover goes than it does now. One would have thought that was down to the marketing prowess of the airport itself.
Lots of fun to come, but hopefully a deal can be done soon. Good to see Willie Walsh sticking up for EI in public as well; previous EI Chief Executives have always hidden under a bunker, for fearing of incurring governmental wrath, but WW clearly sees an advantage in sticking up for his company. Good on ya, W!
