Move to bring ‘extra 1m passengers’

AER LINGUS chief executive Dermot Mannion told angry workers yesterday that the decision to move aircraft and the London Heathrow (LHR) slots to Belfast was based on projections the move would deliver an extra one million passengers a year.

About 45 jobs are at risk at Shannon as the carrier establishes its new base at Belfast International Airport. The move is a massive blow for the regional airport, which has carried more than 350,000 passengers a year on the four-times-a-day service.

“We are conscious of the impact this decision will have on staff in Shannon and the loyalty shown by our customers in the west over the years,” said Mr Mannion.