Aer Lingus urged not to cut city flights

THE Lord Mayor of Cork has called on the board of Aer Lingus to reverse its decision to axe flights from the city to Dublin.

Councillor Colm Burke has also written to Aer Lingus chief executive Willie Walsh and members of the board asking them to hold their next board meeting in Cork and to discuss the situation with local politicians and business leaders.

“I’m extremely concerned at the decision, especially as Cork will be the European Capital of Culture in 2005 during which we plan to have up to 400,000 visit the city. Aer Lingus aren’t in Kerry or Waterford, they seem to be abandoning all regional airports,” the lord mayor said.

Meanwhile, Mayor of Co Cork, Councillor Tadhg O’Donovan will seek suspension of standing orders at next Monday’s county council meeting to discuss the issue.

“I’m terribly surprised by the Aer Lingus decision. It shouldn’t be tolerated by the people of Cork. As a national carrier it’s a disgrace that it should drop its service between the country’s two largest cities.”

Cork Business Association (CBA) president James O’Sullivan said his organisation would be lobbying Aer Lingus to get the company to change its mind about closing the route.

“It’s extraordinary and unbelievable that, just after we turned the sod for a 140 million upgrade of the airport, and things are really going forward, Aer Lingus should do this,” he said.

He said many of his CBA colleagues would have been frequent fliers with Aer Lingus on the route, which was well supported by a lot of business people in the region. “I congratulate Aer Arann for stepping into the breech. They obviously see it as very lucrative, so I can’t understand why Aer Lingus don’t,” he said.

Aer Arann, which already operates seven flights a day on the Cork-Dublin route will add two more.