Management at Shannon Airport is to hold an emergency meeting tomorrow to discuss the news that the Dublin Airport Authority knew in advance of the Aer Lingus decision to end Shannon-Heathrow services.

The mayors of the Mid-West today called for thousands of people to join a weekend rally in the continuing battle to save the vital Shannon-Heathrow air link.

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has revealed that his department officials failed to inform him for six weeks that Aer Lingus was planning to scrap its Shannon-Heathrow service.

ON MAY 22, a story appeared in the business section of the Belfast newspaper The Irish News that went almost unnoticed in the South.

Aer Lingus management was tonight accused of attempting to blackmail its staff into accepting tough cost-cutting measures.

THE possibility of Fianna Fáil merging with the SDLP will be examined by a new committee, the Taoiseach is expected to announce today.

The Government can’t continue to ignore evidence that the mid-west will suffer enormous damage by Aer Lingus scrapping its Shannon-Heathrow service, the leader of the Labour Party said today.

SHANNON Airport employees angry at Aer Lingus’s decision to end its Shannon-Heathrow flights have sent an estimated 2,500 protest letters to the six Fianna Fáil TDs in the region.

The Government will not be split over Aer Lingus’s controversial decision to end its valuable Shannon-Heathrow service, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said today.

The Government has broken its promise on the future of Aer Lingus by allowing it to end its Shannon-Heathrow link, Opposition leader Fine Gael’s Enda Kenny said today.

The Government tonight pledged to do everything in its power to restore alternative Heathrow Airport services to the Mid-West region.

THE bottom line on the Shannon situation is that the Government can’t maintain a ‘no intervention’ line on Aer Lingus any longer. Its recent statement was ridiculous.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern yesterday got directly involved in the Shannon Airport crisis by holding a meeting with one of the leading groups opposing the axing of its Heathrow service.

Ryanair, today confirmed that it had acquired a further 4% stake in Aer Lingus, taking its holding in Aer Lingus to over 29.4%.

FIANNA FÁIL councillors in Clare have expressed anger and frustration at what they claim was the “total disregard” shown to them by Aer Lingus executives.

The Government could be set for a split over the on-going Shannon controversy.

A PROMINENT Fianna Fáil backbench TD last night called on Aer Lingus management to realise that “the game is up” and reverse the decision to axe the Shannon-Heathrow route.

Hoteliers today called on the Government to join forces with other Aer Lingus shareholders to block the airline’s decision to abandon the valuable Shannon-Heathrow service.

Ryanair has said it will provide three additional flights to London from Shannon if Aer Lingus proceeds with its plan to close the Shannon-Heathrow route.

The Government is being asked to call an extraordinary general meeting of Aer Lingus shareholders to reverse the airline's decision to withdraw its Shannon-Heathrow service.

Up to 10,000 jobs in 28 multinational companies throughout County Limerick are threatened by Aer Lingus' decision to withdraw its daily Shannon-Heathrow service.

Junior Minister Tony Killeen has denied that the Government was aware last week of Aer Lingus' plans to axe its Shannon-Heathrow route.

Jeers and heckles directed at Aer Lingus boss Dermot Mannion as he briefed staff on the planned closure of the Shannon-Heathrow route failed to dent the airline's share vaule today as prices climbed 4c at €2.45.

I AM not usually given to writing letters, but then again I am not usually this mad.

Aer Lingus is expected to announce tomorrow that it is ending its service from Shannon Airport to London Heathrow.