Super junior minister Finian McGrath has said he is “delighted” with Enda Kenny’s promise to “love him to bits” politically in order to ensure that the Government lasts.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has relinquished three of his Seanad nominees to Fianna Fáil as part of a special deal with Micheál Martin.

A former president of NUI Galway has been accused of “inappropriately” supporting Aer Arann boss Pádraig Ó Céidigh in the Seanad elections by a leading member of the college’s governing authority.

The Government has re-advertised the tender for the €3.6m subsidised air services to the Aran Islands, Co Galway that it cancelled in controversial circumstances last October.

A West of Ireland-based air service is challenging in the High Court the State’s decision to award the Aran Islands contract to a rival service.

Executive Helicopters — the preferred tender to provide an air service to the Aran Islands — has said it will offer a reliable, faster, and more efficient service.

Caomhan Keane explains the link between the Aran Islands and Aer Arann and shows why the link is as much about the past and the people as it is about the future.

Air services to the Aran Islands will continue to be run by Aer Arann until at least February 2016.

Residents of the Aran Islands have promised a “massive” campaign of resistance to the withdrawal of the air service contract from Aer Árann.

The Government has been accused of ignoring the concerns and wishes of Aran Islands residents by withdrawing the air service contract for the islands from Aer Arann.

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

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).

Aer Lingus and Ryanair will find out this week if they face a multimillion-euro tax bill over the air travel tax which was scrapped by the Government in 2013.

Get a taste of some of the interesting and quirky happenings in Europe from our Europe correspondent, Ann Cahill.

Is there an airport in Cork? I know the answer to this question as I come from Cork but a foreigner would think there isn’t.

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.

 

Aer Lingus Regional operator, Stobart Air has added Irish regional airline, CityJet to its growing list of franchise partners.

Flights from Dublin to Donegal and Kerry have been thrown a two-year lifeline as the Government confirmed it will extend State aid to both services.

The EU's highest court has ordered the European Commission to re-open an investigation into Ireland's travel tax.

Stobart Air, the franchise flying partner to Aer Lingus, has confirmed it is reviewing its operations at Shannon 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 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.

There has been much debate in the media in recent weeks about the continuing decline in air traffic at Cork Airport. Much of it argues that full independence from the Dublin Airport Authority is needed to get passenger numbers back to the level of the last decade.

Kerry Airport yesterday welcomed a commitment from Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe to support the retention of subsidised flights on the Kerry to Dublin route.

Aer Lingus Regional — the airline’s secondary destination service — posted a fourth consecutive month of passenger growth at Cork Airport in July.

Dublin: Last month saw Aer Lingus Regional — the airline’s secondary destination service, operated by Stobart Air (Aer Arann) — have up its 12th consecutive month of growth, with more than 130,000 passengers carried.

State funding for daily flights between Kerry and Dublin, which had been due to end in November, will continue until February 2015.

The future of daily flights from Kerry Airport on the Kerry/Dublin route depends on the continuation of a strong government subsidy.

Aer Lingus and Ryanair will begin separate legal actions in the European Court of Justice this week over the controversial air travel tax which was discontinued by the Government in last year’s budget.

Aer Lingus Regional has seen a 35% jump in the number of passengers in April compared to the same month last year.

Cork Airport is unlikely to meet its previously stated target of breaking even — on a cash basis — by the end of this year, but its owners remain "focused" on returning the airport to growth.

The newly rebranded Aer Arann business, Stobart Air, has signed a five-year deal to operate six new routes from London for European regional airline FlyBe.

50 new jobs are to be created as Stobart Air, formerly Aer Arann, teams up with Flybe for flights to mainland Europe.

Aer Lingus Regional has announced its eighth consecutive month of growth.

Aer Arann is to change its name to Stobart Air and focus on adding more franchise partnerships with major European airlines as part of a reinvention strategy for the company.

Despite inclement weather conditions earlier this year, Aer Lingus Regional, which is operated by Aer Arann says it has recorded a positive start to 2014.

A heart was flown from Kerry to Dublin yesterday on board a scheduled Aer Arann flight as bad weather scuppered plans by the air corps to transport the organ for a lifesaving operation.

Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport increased by 1.1 million to 20.2 million last year, it was announced today.

Cork Airport has predicted its first passenger growth in almost five years next year following a significant €35m airline route expansion plan announced yesterday.

Aer Lingus Regional is to launch a new route from Cork to Newcastle as part of an expansion of services from Cork Airport, it was announced today.

Shannon Airport has been dealt a blow with news that Europe’s largest regional airline is to pull out only months after recommencing operations from there.

Total passenger numbers at Aer Lingus fell 5% on an annualised basis in November, with the airline not anticipating any improvement on short-haul routes before the end of the year.

Galway’s days as an airport city ended yesterday.