Travel deal is bad for taxpayers

The article “Ryanair wants more of €6m spent on flying civil servants” (Apr 28) did not accurately reflect Ryanair’s complaint.

Ryanair asked why the Government paid an average fare of €380, primarily to Aer Lingus on short and medium haul flights, in 2011, when Ryanair’s average fare on such flights was just €42.

Your article stated that over ‘97% of all flights were booked on economy fares’.

However, flying ‘economy’ is irrelevant unless you are flying on the lowest ‘economy’ fare available from all the airlines, and with over 9,200 Aer Lingus and just 1,200 Ryanair flights booked by civil servants in 2011, that clearly has not happened.

Civil servants’ travel arrangements with Aer Lingus are bad for taxpayers and Ryanair believes savings can be made by obliging civil servants to travel on the airline with the lowest fare — in all instances. Ryanair is not seeking ‘more of the €6m’, it is highlighting that less should be spent on pampered civil servant travel so more can be spent on hospitals, schools, where money is urgently required.

Stephen McNamara

Head of Communications

Ryanair Head Office

Dublin Airport