Ryanair”s controversial bid last week for the recently privatised Irish state airline Aer Lingus is likely to stay in the headlines for some time and prove to be expensive for all parties in terms of professional fees and time. Minds are concentrated on its competition aspects with respect to European law. Statistics indicate that the amalgamated airline would control 78% of the UK ” Ireland traffic, about 77% to and from France, and over 80% of both the Spanish and German markets.
British Airways for some time had a close relationship with Aer Lingus, considered a takeover, and finally poached Willie Walsh as chief executive. BA dropped its Irish routes in favour of Aer Lingus and the Dublin airline joined the oneworld alliance. All that is now in the past with Aer Lingus leaving oneworld at the end of September.
Whether Walsh would like to get back on the Irish routes remains to be seen, but is unlikely. What is also obvious is that Ryanair is totally Boeing whilst Aer Lingus is all Airbus. One area that Ryanair could really mix it is low cost flights from Heathrow to the US which, with the Aer Lingus slots, he might be able to achieve. Currently 88% of all Ryanair activity is outside Ireland and 50% is from the UK, although that figure will fall as the airline expands into Europe.