Three months is all that the EU will require FR to pull off routes and open up competition. After 91 days expect the biggest "seat sale" that the world has seen. If you look back to recent history then you only have to see the blood on the floor when Easy tried flying into the Republic.
Even Veradkar who isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the box has acknowledged only last week that overseas/non irish airlines can't be expected to be loyal to Ireland. In other words they will scarper when the going gets tough. Also the LHR slots will be much more valuable flying somewhere else and no doubt with the right political posturing then they can turn them into long haul slots should the need arise in the future. The government acknowledged this about 6 months ago when they conceded that there is no cast iron way that they can ensure that the LHR slots are kept once they sell their shares.
Anyone that thinks that open competition will occur following an FR takeover is living in cloud cuckoo land.
Last edited by MCDU2; 22nd Oct 2012 at 15:43.