Ryanair has delivered a robust response to Aer Lingus” decision to transfer its Heathrow slots from Shannon to Belfast.
The low cost carrier says it will add a further three daily flights from Shannon to Stansted, Gatwick and Luton ” although it notes it will suspend these should Aer Lingus change its mind.
And at the moment that does not appear particularly likely with an Aer Lingus spokeswoman telling ABTN from Dublin: ”We made the announcement last week about Shannon and our chief executive and chairman are going there to discuss issues with the business community ” they have made that commitment.”
Ryanair already serves the UK from Shannon, but says that should its fellow-Irish carrier move off Shannon-Heathrow, it will add a fourth daily service to Stansted, a second daily flight to Gatwick and start a new rotation to Luton.
It has also called on Aer Lingus to hold an EGM to discuss the issue and has suggested that the carrier, in which Ryanair has a 25% stake, use its recently-announced four-daily Dublin-Gatwick flights as a ”suitable alternative” for its new Belfast base, provoking a terse Aer Lingus reply: ”We don”t respond to Ryanair”s comments,” it noted.
Ryanair chief executive, Michael O”Leary, didn”t pull his punches either, hinting that Aer Lingus might also pull off transatlantic routes from the western Ireland airport: ”As Shannon”s largest airline, we are determined to ensure that Shannon and the Mid-West [Ireland] region will suffer no loss of traffic or flights as a result of Aer Lingus” decision to abandon Shannon in favour of Belfast.
”If Aer Lingus cancels its Shannon-Heathrow flights, then it is inevitable that the Shannon transatlantic flights will also transfer to Belfast Aldergrove in the not too distant future. Aer Lingus” rules confirm that any 10% shareholder can ask for an EGM to be called [and] it is surprising that neither the government nor the trade unions, both of whom own more than 10%, have taken up Ryanair”s previous offer to work together or called for an EGM to be held.”
Ryanair has also raised the issue with the Irish government, although hardly in a way that will endear it to the politicians. The airline has written to prime minister, Bertie Ahern in classically tough language, noting its position as a 25% shareholder and asking it to vote in favour of an EGM.
”If Bertie Ahern fails to support this motion, then the extent to which his government has lied and abandoned Shannon in favour of Belfast, will become apparent to all,” it adds.