Madam, - In a letter to the Financial Times on June 15th, 2007, Michael O'Leary described "the passenger experience at Heathrow as a nightmare".
He went on to say that "Albania provides more efficient terminal facilities".
Why then is he so anxious for Aer Lingus to fly from Shannon to an airport that he has repeatedly stated that Ryanair would never fly into?
Could it be that Michael O'Leary's current activities are motivated to damage Aer Lingus's business and in particular to prevent competition to his recently announced services from Belfast City Airport to start in November?
In another display of consistency, last week Michael O'Leary condemned political interference in Italian aviation policy while simultaneously urging Bertie Ahern to interfere in Irish aviation.
Why should anyone take this man's utterances seriously when it is clear that they are merely publicity-seeking puffs? - Yours, etc,
MARK BYRNE,
Healthfield Road,
Terenure,
Dublin.
Madam, - So Willie O'Dea thinks that the Aer Lingus decision to axe the Shannon-Heathrow route is "wrong".
Apparently, he is willing to attempt to persuade the company to change its mind, in direct contradiction to the position of the Taoiseach and the Minister for Transport.
So is this a genuine matter of conviction for Mr O'Dea, or is it just an opportunity for some cheap publicity?
The last occasion on which Mr O'Dea stood up against his own government was in 2000 during the introduction of taxi deregulation.
In Limerick, Mr O'Dea told a meeting of local taxi drivers that the policy was "disastrous and unworkable", that they should continue protesting against the move, suggesting that the decision could be reversed if enough pressure was exerted.
Two weeks later in Dublin, however, he made a pathetic and grovelling apology to his government colleagues "for any embarrassment caused" and said: "I fully support government policy on deregulation".
Mr O'Dea added that if he had known that his speech to Limerick taxi drivers was being recorded, he would not have said what he did.
Madam, one wonders if Mr O'Dea realised his recent comments on Aer Lingus were being recorded!
The Taoiseach said in the wake of the taxi deregulation saga: "I will not tolerate views that are contrary to the collective responsibility of government."
So will Mr O'Dea now be dismissed from the Government by the Taoiseach, since he is now once again in complete public disagreement with Government policy?
And when the Dáil resumes in September, will Mr O'Dea put his money where his mouth is and vote against the Government in protest at its inaction on the Shannon issue; or will he settle back nicely into his departmental leather chair once the silly season ends, finding himself, once again, in full agreement with Government policy?
No prizes for guessing. - Yours, etc,
BARRY WALSH,
Brooklawn,
Clontarf,
Dublin.
Madam, - It was damned unfair of the other 14 members of the Government to keep Willie O'Dea in the dark when it decided to sell off Aer Lingus, thus shedding any influence it may have had on the "direction" the airline might take.
Hopefully somebody will tell him Limerick have qualified for the All Ireland hurling final.
I'd hate him to miss it. - Yours, etc,
JIM VALLELY,
Greystones,
Limerick.
Madam, - Now that Ryanair have flown to the rescue of regional Aer Lingus services, ministers can come out of hiding, line up behind Willie O'Dea and vote to reinstate the Heathrow to Shannon service. - Yours, etc,
HUGO BRADY BROWN,
Stratford on Slaney,
Co Wicklow.