Carrier offers plan to save Shannon link

RYANAIR, which owns 25% of Aer Lingus, has contacted Taoiseach Bertie Ahern offering to work with the Government and other shareholders to enable Aer Lingus to maintain its Shannon-Heathrow services.

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary also accused the Government of lying to the European Commission and the people of Shannon following the decision to transfer the Aer Lingus Heathrow routes to Belfast.

These services were described by the Government, as recently as October 2006, as playing a “unique role in ensuring connectivity to and from Ireland”, Mr O’Leary said.