A member of the Aviation Taskforce believes Shannon Airport has “lost out”, as a result of the delay in appointing a Chair of Shannon Group.
Founder of Aer Arann Express and Aer Lingus Regional, Padraig Ó Céidigh believes Aer Lingus’s decision to close its base in the Midwest has set the airport back thirty years.
It comes as local representatives have pledged to engage with Cabinet ministers to attempt to reverse the airline’s decision to permanently close its cabin crew base at Shannon Airport.
It’s a week to the day since Aer Lingus anounced it’s to close its Shannon base, a move one member of the Aviation Taskforce has said was not surprising and well flagged by the airline.
But while Padraig Ó Céidigh says the decision has undone up to four decades of hard work in developing Shannon Airport, he does think it has strong potential to viable again – as long as it reivents itself.
The Founder of Aer Arann Express and Aer Lingus Regional believes Shannon could see the return of an Aer Lingus cabin crew base to the Midwest, but warns that will require an understandding from the Management and Board the needs of airlines and what motivates them.
Padraig Ó Céidigh has decribed the delay in appointing a Shannon Group Chair as disappointing and admits it’s a role he would consider himself.
But he fears the delay has been damaging for the airport.
The development comes as the dust settles on a special meeting between Clare councillors and this county’s seven Oireachtas members yesterday, where Clare’s public representatives pledged to engage with Cabinet ministers to attempt to reverse the airline’s decision.
Aer Lingus secured a three-year loan of 150 million euro from the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund earlier this year and it’s understood the airline is now seeking a further 150 million euro investment.
But Killaloe Councillor Tony O’Brien says while the Government should invest further, it should only do so if the state is given a stake in the company and the power to influence decision-making.
However one local representative doesn’t believe Aer Lingus should be given further funds, saying it won’t make any difference, in terms of the airline’s committment to Shannon.
Clonlara Independent Councillor Michael Begley believes the funds would be better spent if invested into Shannon Group to market the airport and negotiate the best deals with airlines.
He says getting flights and footfall back into Shannon must be the main focus.
All eyes in the sector are now on Friday, when the government is expected to announce its plans for returning to international travel.
