27/08/2010

Examiner Appointed To Aer Arann

The Dublin High Court has appointed an examiner for troubled airline, Aer Arann.

The airline said it intends to operate normally during the period of examinership and intends to fly all Aer Arann services and all Aer Lingus Regional services operated under franchise agreement with Aer Lingus.

No flights have been cancelled or are planned to be cancelled and reservations can continue to be made on www.aerarann.com

Aer Arann said it intends there will be no impact on customer travel or bookings as a result of the move into examinership.

A spokesman for the company said: "Following the High Court hearing on 8th September Aer Arann expects to remain in examinership for an initial period of up to 70 days.

"During that time the company will benefit from the protection of the Court from its creditors so that it can re-organise and re-structure the business. Aer Arann and the Examiner will also use the time to negotiate with potential investors and a number of parties have expressed their interest in the airline."

Yesterday evening, Ms Justice Maureen Clarke appointed Michael McAteer of Grant Thornton as Interim Examiner to the airline. The petition to enter examinership was made by the company following a resolution of its Board of Directors.

Ms Justice Clarke set 8th September as the date for a full hearing of the company’s application and in the meantime Aer Arann is in interim examinership and under the protection of the Court.

The company had been trading well in the first quarter of 2010 but following the losses of the previous two years it did not have the cash reserves to deal with the downturn precipitated by the volcanic ash crisis in the second quarter.

Aer Lingus said it will continue to work with Aer Arann on the provision of services through the franchise agreement between the airlines. All bookings for Aer Lingus Regional services can continue to be made on www.aerlingus.com

(DW/BMcC)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

21 May 2003
Airline to launch Belfast-Dublin scheduled service
Regional airline Aer Arann Express has confirmed details for a new Dublin-Belfast service. Mainly catering for business passengers, the service, which Aer Arann estimates will carry over 40,000 passengers between the two cities over the next 12 months, will commence on June 18 and provide two flights a day.
21 August 2003
Aer Arann suspend Dublin-Belfast service
The Belfast City to Dublin airline route has been suspended, it was announced yesterday. Aer Arann, the airline behind the route, blamed low passenger numbers for the suspension of the service.
22 January 2008
Aer Arann Pilot Praised In Engine Failure Alert
Following last Friday's near miraculous escape by passengers and crew from a crash-landed jet in London, there has been much praise for the pilot of an Irish aircraft that had to be diverted after an engine apparently failed. The Aer Arann plane bound for Dublin from Donegal had to be urgently diverted to City of Derry Airport.
12 November 2007
Rally Ireland Really Takes Off: With 60 Choppers Aloft
It won’t be just impressive on the roads this week as the World Rally Championships races into Ulster. Although hundreds of spectators are expected to pack the grounds of Stormont Estate for the opening stage of Rally Ireland, it’s the air show that will be spectacular too.
13 January 2005
Easyjet announce new Belfast routes to Berlin and Paris
Budget airline Easyjet has announced two new routes from Belfast International Airport to Italy and Germany. The routes, which are being supported by the Air Route Development Fund, will see a four day a week service run from Aldergrove to Rome and Berlin, from 1 July to 31 October 2005, and daily thereafter.