CityJet could launch a service from Shannon airport to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris next January, writes Ciarán Hancock, Business Affairs Correspondent

This emerged at a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport yesterday, which was considering a report from the department's secretary general, Julie O'Neill, to Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey about Aer Lingus's decision to end its service from Shannon to Heathrow.

When questioned by Fine Gael TD Joe Carey about what possible new routes might be launched from Shannon to counterbalance the loss of the link to Heathrow, assistant general secretary John Murphy said it was his understanding that CityJet and the airport were in talks about new services.

"Shannon Airport Authority is in discussions with CityJet on the possibility of new services and it's coming to a point where a decision will be made very soon," Mr Murphy said.

Mr Carey responded by saying it was his understanding that flights between Shannon and Paris would commence on January 8th or 9th.

When contacted, CityJet said talks were still ongoing but no final decision had been made. CityJet is a subsidiary of Aer France, which uses Charles de Gaulle as a hub and could offer passengers travelling from Shannon connections with a range of long-haul flights around the world.

It is understood that CityJet and Shannon airport have been in discussions about launching a daily service to Paris, possibly starting in January. An announcement is expected in the next week or so.

Aer Lingus is due to cut the Shannon-Heathrow route in the middle of January and switch the slots to Belfast.

Separately, Mr Murphy said the department was exploring with the European Commission ways of promoting air connections from the west of Ireland, possibly via a public service obligation contract.