Passenger baggage loaded into the incorrect hold of an Aer Lingus plane travelling between Dublin and France could have resulted in serious loss of control, air accident investigators have warned.

Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Stobart Air, has increased its passenger numbers on its Dublin to Donegal route by 52% and by 35% on its Dublin to Kerry route.

Aer Lingus saw a near 27% increase in passenger numbers last month, starting the second quarter of the year strongly after parent group IAG reported solid earnings for the first three months.

Passenger numbers at Cork Airport increased by 8% last year to just over 2.2m as new routes and airlines make their mark.

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Management at Waterford Airport has denied a claim by striking workers that the airport is set to engage “strikebreakers” to assist with services while the indefinite protest continues.

Passenger numbers at Cork Airport were up nearly 10% in May on the corresponding month last year, according to figures released by airport management.

More than 307,000 passengers travelled through Kerry Airport last year, according to the regional airport’s annual results announced yesterday.

With the cloud over the nation’s finances for most of the last decade finally blowing over, many people are taking to the blue skies to once again enjoy a sun holiday.

Airline Aer Lingus has announced it will up capacity on its Dublin to Glasgow service for golf fans heading to the British Open this summer.

Passenger numbers at Cork Airport are already soaring ahead of the launch of a new summer route to Madrid.

Olé, olé olé olé! Like the rest of us, football fans are still battling with short nights and wet weather, but a sense of summer is already in the air as more travel packages for Euro 2016 were announced yesterday.

Irish airports and airspace will handle over one million flights by the end of this year — but Cork and Shannon airports have both suffered significant drops in traffic.

Aviation giant Turkish Airlines is considering new flights out of Cork Airport.

Two separate investigations are being carried out after a passenger fell while disembarking from a plane at Dublin Airport.

Extra flights have been added and bigger aircraft are being drafted in to Cork Airport ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

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Aer Lingus Regional has said that the Marriage Equality Referendum has led to a boost in the numbers of passengers it carried last month.

A sixth Irish person has died after a balcony collapsed on an apartment building in Berkeley, California. Read the latest on this and more in this evening’s irishexaminer.com catch-up.

A lack of urgency at national level and joined-up thinking at local level has seen Cork Airport falling behind in the quest for passenger numbers, writes Cork TD Jerry Buttimer            

CORK Airport seems to be suffering a death by a thousand cuts. Aer Lingus Regional has confirmed that it will reduce the number of flights on its Newcastle and Glasgow routes this summer. The changes at Cork will facilitate a service from Shannon to Birmingham.

Cork Airport risks losing its status as Ireland’s second busiest airport following confirmation that more flights are being cut.

Waterford Airport’s future looks secure following confirmation that flights on the Waterford-London/Luton route are to resume at the end of April.

Cork Airport is to begin a new route to Cardiff in Wales.

IAG’s offer to buy Aer Lingus comes at a time when the Irish carrier is more challenged than ever and offers an unparalleled route to sustainable growth.

Representatives of Aer Lingus and its regional operation will discuss the possible sale of the Government stake in the airline with TDs and Senators this evening.

Ryanair revealed last night it had to reduce flights on a twice-weekly Kerry to Faro service due to a lack of aircraft capacity.

Newspapers are reporting how the Minister for the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys was present at the inaugural twice-daily Donegal to Dublin flight, which is to be operated by Aer Lingus Regional (Stobart Airlines, previously Aer Arann).

The current IAG bid for Aer Lingus has brought Cork Airport’s prospects into sharper focus.

Hopes that the much sought-after Cork-Dublin air route could be reintroduced have been dealt a blow by Ryanair, which says demand probably would not be strong enough to warrant its reintroduction.

Aer Lingus has confirmed that its chief executive Christoph Müller will leave the airline on February 28 rather than in May, as had been previously stated.

Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Stobart Air, has reported its 17th month of consecutive growth in November 2014, according to figures released by the airline today.

One of the country’s regional airports is facing an uncertain future following the decision by UK carrier Flybe to cancel the only remaining route using the facility.

Figures released by the Irish Aviation Authority have revealed that while commercial terminal traffic for Shannon, Dublin and Cork airports for the period January to November 2014 was up by 6.2%, Cork Airport’s standalone figures are dropping compared to last year.

Flights on the Kerry-Dublin route are attracting growing passenger numbers but the future of the service remains uncertain.

Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Stobart Air, enjoyed its 16th month of consecutive growth last month, according to new figures released by the airline.

Aer Lingus Regional’s new service to Leeds Bradford Airport, operated by Stobart Air, has commenced from Dublin Airport.

Stobart Air, the operator of the Aer Lingus Regional service, is actively considering adding a new route from the UK to Dublin to serve British passengers bound for the US.

Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Stobart Air, has experienced its 15th consecutive month of growth, according to September passenger figures released by the company.

Aer Lingus saw a 5.3% rise in its passenger numbers last month.

Icelandic carrier WOW air is to launch a new year-round Dublin-Reykjavik service from next summer.

Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Stobart Air, has enjoyed its 14th consecutive month of growth in passenger numbers.

Aer Lingus Regional has confirmed that it is axing its Shannon to Manchester service from the end of next month but has denied it is because Ryanair will begin operations on the same route.