Setback will not stop slots battle

CAMPAIGNERS fighting to stop Aer Lingus from ending flights between Shannon and Heathrow pledged last night to keep up their battle — despite the airline’s rejection of an emergency shareholders meeting.

The Atlantic Connectivity Alliance said it planned to meet Transport Minister Noel Dempsey as scheduled on Wednesday. Aer Lingus rejected calls by shareholder Ryanair for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to discuss the airline’s decision to switch its Heathrow flights from Shannon to Belfast from January.

Yesterday alliance spokesman Frank Larkin said: “The rejection of a request for an EGM does not impact on the campaign being taken by us to retain the Heathrow slots and preserve them for Shannon.”

Ryanair, which owns a 29.4% stake in the former State airline and is a competitor, was yesterday accused of mischief-making by Aer Lingus bosses, who said a Ryanair-backed EGM would fall foul of competition law.

Meanwhile talks between Aer Lingus and their pilots about the Shannon and Belfast routes were adjourned last night until next week.

Pilots’ representatives are unhappy that crews operating on the Belfast-Heathrow route will be employed on what they say are “less favourable” conditions than their colleagues in the Irish Republic.