The Mayor of Clare has called on Aer Lingus to invest more resources into the promotion of its existing transatlantic services.Councillor Madeleine Taylor Quinn pointed out that Aer Lingus did not have a valid reason at this stage to discontinue its direct service from Shannon Airport to New York, which the airline said today was being kept 'under close review'. She said: “The New York to Shannon service is well supported during the winter months, as it has been for the past fifty years. Next month’s scheduled opening of US pre-clearance facilities at Shannon along with this week’s announcement by Delta Airlines that it will cease its Shannon-New York service in October after 13 years will further increase demand for this direct service. Considering Delta carried in excess of 30,000 passengers on the route each winter, Aer Lingus’s decision to cast doubt over the future of the service does not stand up financially or otherwise.”
“While I acknowledge the tough economic climate in which Aer Lingus is presently operating, it should be noted that the airline has done little to promote or advertise its transatlantic services. Few companies can expect to survive if they do not adequately promote their own services. The Mid West Region of Ireland, including Shannon Airport and the relevant regional development agencies, has invested huge amounts of time and resources into promoting Aer Lingus’s transatlantic services while the people of the region have used the service in great numbers”, added the Mayor.
Mayor Taylor Quinn also expressed disappointment with Aer Lingus’s decision to discontinue the Shannon to Chicago service for the winter months and expressed her fear that the airline may not resume the service next April. She said: "I believe that today’s announcement by Aer Lingus raises questions and further heightens concerns about its long-term commitment to operating transatlantic services out of Shannon. Despite stating today that they will not be making any further announcement regarding operations at Shannon in the immediate future, I now call on Aer Lingus management to immediately clarify their future intentions regarding the airport.”
Mayor Taylor Quinn continued: “The retention of existing transatlantic services are critical for the economic viability of County Clare and the wider region. Thousands of jobs and the sustainability of entire communities depend on these vital anchor services. As a region that helped establish and nurture the airline, we are entitled to be informed of any plans that the airline may have regarding its future operations at Shannon”.
