Madam, - Katherine Webster (August 8th) rightly points out the devastating implications of the withdrawal by Aer Lingus of its Shannon-Heathrow service. Your second Editorial of August 9th pointed out that privatisation of Aer Lingus allowed the airline commercial freedom.
As someone who campaigned vigorously against privation, both in your Letters column and elsewhere, it gives me no pleasure to say that some of its chickens have now come to roost.
However, whilst you are correct to say that "the clock cannot be turned back", I believe it is not correct to say that "the Minister for Transport is correct in opting to stay out [ of this decision]". The Minister still controls a substantial proportion of shares in Aer Lingus to protect national interests. The staff control a substantial share and would, presumably, wish to protect their members at Shannon. At least one other major shareholder has gone on record as opposing the move.
I (as a very small shareholder) and I am sure many others would vote against the dropping of the Heathrow route. There are alternatives: for example, Shannon giving up one of its Heathrow slots, Dublin another and recalling one or both of the slots leased out.
Anyway, in the interests of the west, I believe the Minister should arrange for an EGM to be called, and put the matter to a vote. Yes, of course, we should be delighted to see Aer Lingus operate routes from the North - but not at the expense of the west. - Yours, etc,
W.J. MURPHY, Malahide, Co Dublin.
Madam, - Prof Anthony McElligott (August 9th) has written the letter of the year, in my opinion. It's time everyone realised that Aer Lingus is not some sort of national treasure, but Ryanair-lite. It's bottom line, not airline, that's important. However, the ruthless treatment of voters in the mid-west does raise the query: did Bertie & Co know about this before the general election?
When the Taoiseach does reappear, sans bucket and spade, will he tell us how shocked and gobsmacked he is and then do nothing at all? The west's not asleep, you know. - Yours, etc,
PATRICK O'BYRNE, Shandon Crescent, Phibsborough, Dublin 7.
Madam, - It is with interest that I read the letters regarding the decision by Aer Lingus to drop of the Shannon-Heathrow route. Aer Lingus, being a publicly traded company, has to make decisions first and foremost based on what is in its best interests. Those best interests relate clearly to profit and revenue, and to shareholders.
Ironically, organisations such as Ibec and businesses in the western region also base their decisions largely on those same principles. Yet these very same organisations and businesses bemoan this decision by Aer Lingus.
Aer Lingus is fully entitled to do what it wants in what it considers its best business interests. It is a free market. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL TIERNEY, Los Gatos, California, USA.
Madam, - There is something wrong when we have to endure a horde of Government supporters, including ministers, hypocritically decrying their own Government's stance on the Shannon issue. The media should refrain from giving government spokespersons a platform to complain about their own policies. We ordinary people should not allow powerful politicians to get away with the brazen hypocrisy of complaining about the consequences of their own decisions.
The job of government spokespersons is to defend government policies whether they are popular or unpopular. Complaining about government policies is the job of the Opposition. If we continue to pretend that members of the Government are also part of the Opposition we are little more than a one-party state. - Yours, etc,
A. LEAVY, Shielmartin Drive, Sutton, Dublin 13.
Madam, - There has been much talk in recent times of Ireland becoming a high-cost location with unrealistic wage expectations and demands. At the same time low-cost airlines, led by Ryanair, are going from strength to strength and "traditional" airlines have to follow suit to stay alive. Hence the move by Aer Lingus of its daily Heathrow flights from Shannon to Belfast.
While the services from Shannon were said to be profitable, the cost base in Belfast is significantly lower than at Shannon because of different pay structures and work practices. Aer Lingus believes it can get twice the return by operating from Belfast rather than Shannon.
The cost of these pay structures and work practices here in the Republic, is lost jobs - and not just the jobs of the airline and airport staff at Shannon. There will also be lost jobs in tourism and other businesses in the Shannon area - and what of the potential future jobs there?
Will the workers and unions of Ireland please wake up and face the reality that this move is underlining? We are pricing ourselves out of international markets and here is vivid proof. - Yours, etc,
CHRIS COGGINS, Stillorgan Wood, Co Dublin.