Flight deal could threaten Shannon

THE Shannon stop-over could go if Aer Lingus can fly into more cities in the US under a new transatlantic flight deal, according to Transport Minister Seamus Brennan.

But he promised Shannon would not be abandoned as he would work to ensure the airport got opportunities for new business and EU money for regional development.

EU transport ministers at a meeting in Brussels yesterday came a step closer to giving the commission the go ahead to negotiate on behalf of all 15 members a new transatlantic flight deal with the US.

Mr Brennan said he expected Commissioner Loyola de Palacio to receive a mandate at their next meeting in June. However a number of countries, including Ireland, have reservations that have to be dealt with first.

Under the existing agreement Aer Lingus can fly into only five airports in the US in exchange for the US airlines landing as many times in Shannon as they do in Dublin.

The minister said they would have to see what other gateways Aer Lingus would be allowed to fly into in the US before agreeing to change the current situation.

“We may conclude that we will get more business without the stop over and I if they gave us a guarantee of more gate ways that would mean extra business then ... it would be silly not to support doing a deal along those lines,” said Mr Brennan.

Ireland cannot in the long term depend exclusively on the Shannon stop over as the main business for Shannon.

“Shannon needs to think how to develop its business if the stop over no longer existed. But I am agreeing to nothing here until I know what the situation will be,” he said.

Over the next few weeks the minister said he will come to a decision on the restructuring of Aer Rianta and setting up a management board in Shannon.

“The department will be talking to Shannon about trying to protect its future.

“We are committed to Shannon,” he said.

They have been in contact with the European Commission and he believes they understand the regional importance of Shannon and that there could be funding available for regional development.

In the meantime the department will study the realities and the legal position about the commission’s claim to have the right to negotiate on behalf of all member states, he said.