Aer Lingus primed for short-haul war

Aer Lingus is confident of its ability to rival Ryanair for short-haul passenger growth over the remainder of the year and to meet operational goals after the completion of its takeover by British Airways owner, IAG.

“We’ve been meeting the challenge head-on for the past 30 years and both airlines have benefited from the competition,” chief executive, Stephen Kavanagh said yesterday, regarding a mooted ‘price war’ this winter as Ryanair looks to stem increased competition from an Aer Lingus under new ownership.

“We expect nothing other than intense competition from Ryanair, but we have the ability to reduce our unit costs and price competitively. Consumers will see real value on the short haul travel experience,” he added.