Its got nothing to do with O'Leary really (wont give him credit). The big airlines are also feeling the pinch but at least they got big cash reserves to bide through the tough times. Smaller airlines have to be pro-active.... Its just a shame that the pilots,cabin crew and engineers have to pay. Possible better management of the airline when it was going through the good times is believed, could have prevented this. but we will see the outcome... But the airline should still survive to piss off O'Leary another day...
Airforce1, you seem to be lacking in background info. 5Tarbuck is correct. Allow me to enlighten you.
For the past decade O'Leary has slagged off any airline which bid for Irelands PSO routes, jeering that they were 'taking tax payers money' and 'sponging off the state'. He conveniently ignored the sponging off Belgian, French and Italian tax payers he himself was doing (he even told the EU to 'fock off' when they ordered him to return the ill gotten gains).
Fast Forward to 2007, and Mr.Holier-Than-Thou suddenly applies for - and wins - the PSO route to Kerry, formerly operated by the little niche carrier Aer Aran.
Why did O'Bleary bid for the PSO routes in spite of his (pseudo) aversion to taking taxpayer bucks? Why did he bid for a route which is a marginal commuter service even for a turbo-prop?
He did it in the blatant attempt to drive Aer Aran out of business. Like a big fat smelly giants foot stamping down on a scurrying little ant.
This has been well reported in the Irish media - that the CEO of Aer Aran went to visit O'Bleary and asked him to stop trying to put him out of business. O'Bleary told him to 'eff off back to the bog' or some such endearment, and threw him out of his office.
So, yes, we're all feeling the pinch, but few have to deal with such blatant attempts at commercial assassination as Aer Aran have suffered at the hands of Ryanair.
Where is the regulator???
Why, they GAVE O'Bleary the route, the instrument of Aer Arans destruction.
