Government must decide on Heathrow flights
When the Aer Lingus egm takes place at Michael O’Leary’s behest, the Government will have to make its mind up and vote either to retain or abandon the Shannon-Heathrow service.
If they vote against retention, or abstain, it means they are placing the interests of Belfast, which is part of the UK, above those of west coast businesses and Irish taxpayers who still own 25.3% of Aer Lingus — not someone in Belfast.
The possibility of losing the Shannon-to-Heathrow flights makes every west coast company’s sales, marketing or support services very difficult, not to mention the difficulty for customers trying to visit.
These are companies located from Galway to Kerry that use the Shannon-Heathrow service. I use it on average once a month to get to Stockholm and Helsinki on business.
Sales people and customers will always need to meet. Your suggestion (August 20) to use technology for sharing ideas and delivering services helps, but you will always need people to travel for business.
Until we get the Star Trek beaming thing sorted, we need efficient international flights.
Aer Lingus flights from Shannon were always packed. My travel agent cannot effectively get me to Stockholm or Helsinki from Shannon unless I fly via Heathrow.
It does not work via Stansted or Luton or Gatwick, or even Dublin.
Aer Lingus should fly from both Shannon and Belfast to Heathrow, as Michael O’Leary proposed.
Bertie Ahern’s latest plan to investigate the Shannon business connectivity issues is another smokescreen or, even worse, more dithering.
However, I agree with the suggestion that airport management need to get new routes to major hubs. !! Still, I find it very odd — even suspicious — that the Government doesn’t want to act decisively to protect the vital interests of the Aer Lingus owner-taxpayer Why?
Steve Nugent
Woodbrook
Cratloe
Co Clare
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