Aer Lingus may cut routes over €10 tax

AER Lingus could cut routes from Shannon and Dublin this winter if the Government does not scrap the air travel tax which is causing “serious damage” to the airline.

Chairman Colm Barrington, in a letter to Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, said the airline’s winter business is “much weaker” than summer and advance bookings and expected returns for the forthcoming winter are “significantly behind those of previous years”.

The airline said it believes the €10 air travel tax, which was announced last year, will have a “significant bearing” on its ability to operate a full schedule of flights compared to last winter.