AER LINGUS wind down at SHANNON

[neidin]

Seems Aer Lingus continues it's rapid wind down at Shannon. The local manager - Chris Nash at Shannon - retires in November. In future the Shannon operations are to be "Managed" from Cork. Bad, bad news for Shannon.

This comes on top of the 103 redundancies at Shannon by EI in Feb 2004 and the forced move by 29 Aer Lingus crew from Shannon to Dublin back in March.

EI have also sold or scrapped off much of their excess ground handling equipment as they no longer offer any third party handling to other carriers. This in turn has chased away ad hoc charters and made life difficult for ATA and others. Aer Lingus also are trying to avoid the Shannon Stopover on their new Dublin-Orlando service by operating it as a scheduled "Charter".

If the Shannon stopover is gone Aer Lingus will be gone too with a few minimal direct Shannon - TA services and Shannon Airport is screwed.

From Limerick Post -
AER Lingus has been accused of deliberately bypassing Shannon Airport with its new direct flight from Dublin to Orlando.

"This appears to be another thinly veiled attempt by Aer Lingus to circumvent the current Bilateral Air Agreement and bypass Shannon and I’m amazed this service is not operating through Shannon as it’s my understanding that in order to comply with the current Bilateral Air Agreement it must operate one leg of this journey through Shannon,” observes Fine Gael deputy transport spokesperson, Pat Breen TD

Making the point that the service would be of great benefit to the people across the region, as Orlando is a very popular holiday destination, the deputy said: "I’m perplexed by Aer Lingus CEO, Willie Walsh’s claim that a change in the current bilateral air agreement would allow him to open 10 new services to US destinations, when he can’t operate a year-round service to Washington in the face of zero competition.”

Deputy Breen called on the airline to comply with the current Bilateral Air Agreement and facilitate passengers wishing to join the Orlando service from Shannon.

"I will be raising this matter with the Minister when the Dail resumes and again with Aer Lingus when they come before the Transport Committee shortly,” he said.

[EINN]

Being from the Shannon area (as I'm sure you've guessed) I for one wish that they would do away with this stupid law!!! I believe that Shannon should be given a kick up the hole and compete for traffic like everyone else. There will always be a need for trans atlantic flights from Shannon, lots of Irish people moved form the West of Ireland to New York, Boston, Chicago etc years ago. American tour companies arrange tours around the west of Ireland each summer. Most of the flights from Shannon to the states in the summer are full. If this law was to be done away with and Aer Lingus was to pull out most of their Trans Atlantic traffic it wouldn't be long before some else slips in there and takes over the routes. There is demand from Shannon but like most other business it has its quiet months.

[neidin]

There is no doubt that there is a great 8 month market to SNN as there is no ORK, NOC and KIR. Problem is for SNN that there is a 12 month market to DUB, ORK and KIR. SNN is now the wrong side of Limerick and the roads to Dublin are rapidly improving. Aer Lingus have it in for SNN big time.

The stopover goes and then EI will go with most of their direct services. There are very few airlines who would be interested in operating who are not already doing so to SNN. EI are the only real paying customer they have at SNN who keep the losses down to some vaguely sensible level.

Aer Lingus dropping even 10% of traffic would hammer SNN into the ground. Ryanair say they want EURO 1 for new routes - hey then charge for new routes now is only EURO 3. This will not pay for the masseive losses at SNN. EI goes they are in deep trouble.

[EINN]

Have you been on the roads from Shannon airport recently? The roads are excellent. With new roads opened up in Limerick and in Nenagh the once long trip to the capital ain’t so long anymore.

I would be very surprised if an airline didn't jump into flying some of Aer Lingus trans-atlantic routes if they were to pull out. Delta use to do well on their SNN-JFK route before 911. Okay some routes aren't that popular but I don't think Aer Lingus have given Shannon a chance to prove it self! Aer Lingus have started operating to more holiday locations from Dublin and Cork but none from Shannon. A lot of people from these parts have holiday homes in Spain + Portugal yet I always end up having to travel to Dublin or Cork. It’s very annoying when there is a perfectly good airport right on my doorstep.

However in the last few weeks EUjet have commenced operations, Thomsonsfly, Easyjet and HLX have annouced routes to start soon, there must be something appealing about Shannon.

One other thing (going a bit off the issue) Ryanair's new proposal: if Aer Rinta agree to let Ryanair only pay €1 per pessenger instead of the standard €7 Ryanair will open up more routes and double the passengers through the airport within a year. What do ye make of that? Possible or not?

Shannon has had some challenges in its time, it's always survived.


EINN

[neidin]

Looks like this politician reads pprune.

From politics.ie

Fine Gael Deputy Transport Spokesman and Clare TD Pat Breen has warned the new Transport Minister, Martin Cullen, that voters will not allow him to put the future of Shannon Airport on the long finger.

"There is a danger that Minister Cullen, flush with the excitement of his new appointment, will decide he's on a honeymoon period. But he should remember that Shannon Airport cannot afford a honeymoon period and that voters in the Mid West will not tolerate another indecisive Minister.

"Shannon Airport is now in a very serious situation. Aer Lingus has little or no interest in developing or growing its business through Shannon. The new Dublin to Orlando flight will only stop at Shannon on its return to Ireland. Does the airline really believe that passengers from the Mid West will drive to Dublin to take the service, return via Shannon, and then go back to Dublin to collect their car?

"Minister Cullen must explain whether he was aware that this service was going to be set up, and whether it is fully compliant with our Irish/US Bilateral Air Agreement. I am calling on the Minister to ensure that the flight picks up passengers from Shannon on its outward journey.

"Secondly, Aer Lingus has announced that following the retirement of its Shannon Manager Chris Nash, its Shannon operation will be managed from Cork. This raises serious questions for existing business units at both Shannon and Cork and gives little confidence as to their intentions to develop extra services here in Shannon. Aer Lingus and the Minister must review this decision.

"Thirdly, Aer Lingus has not extended or announced the development of any new routes through Shannon in recent times. It now operates 47 routes out of Dublin, 11 out of Cork and six out of Shannon. The only Aer Lingus route to Europe from Shannon is Heathrow. The other five are all US destinations with the EI118 winter service set to end shortly.

"Finally, Shannon Airport was the only one of our three State airports not to experience a growth in passenger numbers in the first nine months of this year. It is deeply worrying that Shannon is experiencing a downturn, at a time when even smaller and independent regional airports such as Knock or Kerry are growing steadily.

"Minister Cullen must ensure that a special case is put forward for Shannon and this region in any negotiations on the EU/US Open Skies Policy. He cannot allow a crucial generator of economic growth in the Mid West region to decline further."

[Tom the Tenor]

Shannon can have as many transatlantic flights as it likes on the understanding that in future all EI flights to Heathrow, Ryanair flights to Charleroi, Beauvais & Hahn and the new HLX flights to Cologne all have to make a stopover at Cork before continuing their journeys to destination. :}

[Bagso]

Bad news for SNN, but we would be happy to see ATA aircraft on fuel stop at Manchester.....!