Slatterys have been on the go for decades. They are a Tralee, Co Kerry based company and their reputation is generally good. Among other things they would have been well known in the 1980s for the Tralee, Cork coach service via the ferry at Rosslare-Pembroke to London. Remember, these were the days of massively high Aer Lingus and British Airways fares between Ireland and London and the bleeding heart from EI saying the huge price was as low as the price could possibly be!
Many's the emigrating Paddy from the south Munster area would have used the coach and ferry serivce in the eighties heading off to London when the Irish economy was really in a bad, bad way. The thing is a lot of those emigrants have now returned, a lot of whom are now doing well and will be easily able to try the Slatterys organised charter to New York.
There are regular ads in the local media in Cork promoting the New York service so the concept is certainly forming in people's imagination. By launch date Cork, her airport and her people along with the neighbouring travelling public from elsewhere in the south Munster area will be ready and at long last the Shannon stranglehold on the North Atlantic will be brought to an end.
As much as it would be attractive EI may look at the PCNs and ACNs all they like but it is hard to see full A330s flying out of Cork to New York. A 757 or perhaps a 767-200 service is more credible.
Yes, Slatterys are the operator for Dublin-Cape Town.
Last edited by Tom the Tenor; 31st May 2005 at 18:28.