In the immortal words of Capt. Blackadder, "I think the phrase rhymes with clucking bell."
Our government, you know the one that's supposed to defend our interests and maintain our competitiveness - is busily trying to negotiate an "out" clause from the Open Aviation Area deal expected by the end of the year. The govt wants a 2-3 year "short transitional period" to allow SNN to adjust to life without the stopover.
So, the govt - in defence of this specious piece of nonsensical protectionism - is content to hold Aer Lingus and Ireland back for 2-3 years while SNN "adjusts"; every other airport will have to fend for itself, but oh no, not Shannon. It doesn't matter that the last traffic info showed that despite the "help" of the stopover, UK and European airports showed a 60%+ jump in traffic; t/a traffic bounded massively ... by 2%.
I'm wondering how EI will be able to add new US cities with the stopover still in place, or how US carriers will react. I mean, if they can fly to any other airport in Europe (well, possibly not LHR) without restriction, why would they want to increase services to Ireland?
What shocks me even more is that according to the Irish Times article below, the EU Commission doesn't see a problem. Are they blind? What part of Open Skies don't they understand? And why are the Americans, so keen to work towards Open Skies, even negotiating with another country for an exception?
Does anyone know what EI thinks of this (not that the govt cares!). I keep asking if I'm missing something fundamental here, but I can't see what. Here Ireland is, on the precipice of one of the biggest economic gains of its history - being slap, bang in the middle of the world's largest aviation area and it's own govt is saying "oh no you don't"
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/fin...OPENSKIES.html