THE MAYOR of Clare has accused Aer Lingus of damaging the tourism and business community in the midwest when it withdrew its 60-year-old Shannon to Heathrow service in January last year.
She said the airline will be challenged to regain and restore the confidence of its previous customer base.
While welcoming the return of the service, which recommenced on Sunday after an absence of 14 months, Madeleine Taylor Quinn has called on the airline to go a step further and return all of Shannon’s slots by reinstating all three daily services. The airline only plans to operate two daily services.
“It must be recognised that a lot of damage has been done to the tourism and business community in Clare and the wider region since the withdrawal of the Shannon to Heathrow service last year.
“Shannon’s rightful slots into Heathrow were wrongfully withdrawn in a cavalier and reckless fashion without any consideration of the fallout for the region,” she said.
Ms Taylor Quinn has, however, described the recommencement of services between Shannon and London Heathrow as a “shot in the arm” for the west of Ireland economy.
She noted that tourism would benefit from the restored service but added that Aer Lingus would now have a challenge to regain and restore the confidence of its previous customer base.