Madam, - The ongoing anger and indignation over the cessation of the Shannon to Heathrow route by Aer Lingus are directed at the wrong people. The protesters focus on the Government, which seems happy to play a passive role in this alongside all the other shareholders, with the notable exception of Ryanair.
The blame for the loss of this route lies almost entirely with the Shannon Airport Authority, which has escaped without any serious criticism.
There were straws in the wind that Aer Lingus was going to set up a major hub outside the State and it followed that such a hub would feature high-profile routes. The authority failed to act to protect the slots at Heathrow. Only after the decision was made was there any mention of savings that might accrue to Aer Lingus if the route were retained.
Even now the authority appears to be dragging its feet in looking for an alternative carrier to replace Aer Lingus. Mr Willie Walsh, chief executive of British Airways, has said that to date he had received one telephone call, over two weeks ago, inquiring as to the willingness of his airline to step in.
It appears that the Shannon Airport Authority is content to stay silent in the hope that the groundswell of anger at the Government will result in having the decision reversed.
The protesters should ask the Shannon Airport Authority to explain how all this came to pass. - Yours, etc,
BRENDAN McMAHON, Elmwood, Naas, Co Kildare.
Madam, - Yet another article, this time by Roger Downer (Opinion & Analysis, September 5th), while excellent in many respects, manages to ignore completely that rather large elephant trying to hide in the corner of the living room - namely the clause in the articles of association and prospectus forbidding Aer Lingus "to dispose of" the Heathrow slots.
This is the crucial issue in this whole affair. Minister of Transport Noel Dempsey has said repeatedly that the phrase "to dispose of" the slots means to sell them. A quick perusal of any dictionary shows that this is a very limited interpretation.
That Mr Dempsey and his colleagues should choose to apply this interpretation raises serious questions about the Government's motivation in allowing what, on the face of it, appears to be an illegal operation by Aer Lingus - moving the route out of this jurisdiction.
The Government can hardly argue that the phrase "to dispose of" was intended to mean "to sell" the slots, when it would obviously have been much simpler, and more precise, to have used that phrase instead. And as recent events have shown, this is an interpretation so open to abuse as to be rendered meaningless.
Noel Dempsey's definition of the phrase reminds me of Humpty Dumpty's response to a question from Alice in Through The Looking-Glass: "When I use a word. . . it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less."
Perhaps Mr Dempsey, his Cabinet colleagues and, indeed, Dermot Mannion should acquaint themselves with the ultimate destiny of Humpty Dumpty, as their position becomes ever more precarious and untenable. I doubt if this episode will be quickly forgotten. - Yours, etc,
AIDAN McGRATH, Chestnut Court, Athlone, Co Westmeath.