Bertie and Mary on separate flight paths as Willie fastens his belt

THE future of the national airline seems to be on automatic pilot, and to judge from the confusion at cabinet level the Government, like Aer Lingus, seems to be going around in circles.

With the departure of Seamus Brennan as Minister for Transport to an area of a more social nature, one of the supporters of a management buy-out apparently was sidelined.

The airline’s chief executive Willie Walsh’s appetite for the same management buy-out was also diminished, and he informed the Department of Transport accordingly.