Does anyone think that it's more than coincidence that the Commission's date for a decision has been put back to early March, reportedly the same time as the UK Competition Authority is due to make it's decision re FR's shareholding? Given the furore in the last week over the UK's future in the EU would it be politically embarrassing if the EU came to a decision that was the opposite of the Competition Authority's?
Had a read of the FR offer document for EI, have to say there is now an awful lot of contradiction between the stated plans for EI and the proposed remedies. If the deal got the green light and the remedies were carried, where is the stated short haul expansion going to go? Firstly the capacity used on the conceded routes would have to be deployed elsewhere before any expansion could take place, and secondly, as a consequence would the stated increase in flight deck/ cabin crew/engineers go with them? I can only see this resulting in a net loss of positions in Ireland unfortunately and an awful lot of redundancies or forced relocation. Factor in the huge doubt it would put over the EIR operation, the potential monopoly that might occur this along with the resultant leverage FR will have against the DAA this will be politically unpalatable for the Irish government and I would say they are actively lobbying against it.
Last edited by bucko; 26th Jan 2013 at 14:05.