Airport Authority ‘betrayed’ Shannon
TDs and senators accused DAA management of abandoning its duty and obligations to the Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) by not providing local airport executives with the opportunity to persuade Aer Lingus to keep its connection with Heathrow.
The Irish Examiner revealed last year the DAA had known about Aer Lingus plans to transfer its slots at Heathrow from Shannon to Belfast over six weeks before the move was announced by the airline in August.
Fine Gael transport spokesperson Fergus O’Dowd told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport that the SAA could have taken measures to persuade Aer Lingus to keep its Shannon-Heathrow route if it had been alerted by the DAA in June.
His party colleague Paul Connaughton said it appeared Aer Lingus, the DAA and the Government had acted like a cartel to engage in “national sabotage” by ensuring the route closure was “a fait accompli”.
Labour transport spokesperson Tommy Broughan described the DAA’s failure to pass on the information as “a bitter betrayal”.
However, Mr Collier defended his position by saying DAA officials had been told about the possible closure of the route in strict confidence by the Department of Transport.
Mr Collier said the DAA was informed Aer Lingus had not yet made a decision to withdraw its Shannon-Heathrow services and that such a decision would not be taken for a considerable period.
He also said Aer Lingus was the subject of a hostile takeover bid by Ryanair at the time and that the DAA had obtained legal advice that it should have no contact with Aer Lingus during this period.
Mr Collier insisted that the DAA executives had “moved swiftly” to get Aer Lingus to reverse the decision once it was confirmed, including the suggestion they could transfer one or more slots from Dublin to Shannon.
However, Fianna Fáil TD, Tim Dooley, who noted the DAA had a duty to make every effort to protect revenues at Shannon.
“It’s not enough to say you sat on your hands because of the way you received information in confidence,” he said.
Meanwhile, SAA chairman, Pat Shanahan, said the new Cityjet/Air France service to Paris would maintain connectivity with a major European hub while Shannon still retained seven daily flights to the greater London area.
However, Mr Shanahan, predicted transatlantic flights to Shannon would decrease by 10% this year as a result of the Open Skies agreement.
He agreed with committee chairman Frank Fahey that increasing Shannon’s catchment area through improved infrastructure could encourage Aer Lingus to consider reopening its Heathrow services.
