Aer Lingus buyout - Interest good for consumer

Etihad Airways, which already owns 3% of Aer Lingus, has indicated that it would be interested in purchasing Ryanair’s 29.9% stake in the national carrier.

This would seem to have the potential of linking Aer Lingus with a global carrier in the emerging economies and would pose no real threat to competition on the existing routes served by Aer Lingus.

When Etihad bought into Aer Lingus, Transport Minister Leo Varadkar welcomed the move as a “good thing”. Was he thinking that this might afford the Government the opportunity of selling off its 25% in Aer Lingus at the best possible price?