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06/08/2009
Aer Lingus Win NI Civil Service Contract
The Irish airline, Aer Lingus has clinched a government contract worth an estimated £500,000 per year to fly civil servants between Belfast and London.
Over the next two years the airline will be the sole carrier for the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) between the two capital cities.
The deal comes after recent criticism surrounding the total amount of money spent by the NICS on travel.
According to the Department of Finance Personnel over a nine month period civil servants took over 2,584 bmi flights from George Best Belfast City airport to Heathrow.
The bill came to £514,503, with the average price per seat costing £199.
Although it is the long standing policy for staff to take the most economical method of travel available, less than a tenth of civil servants who travelled to London over the nine month period chose to take the cheaper route via Belfast International airport.
Aer Lingus, who opened their UK hub at Aldergrove's International Airport 18 months ago, are now considering adding a fourth daily flight to Heathrow.
Meanwhile, Aer lingus could spend around €375m (£319m) less than expected over the next three years after it announced plans to reduce its fleet and delay plans to upgrade older planes.
The loss-making will be able to delay spending between €100m and €125m each of the next three years after it postponed delivery of three Airbus 330s until the second half of 2013 and the delivery of six A350s until at least 2015.
The move will reduce the airline's long-haul fleet to eight from nine by the end of the year and comes weeks after the airline said the number of passengers crossing the Atlantic in May fell 21% to
(GK/BMcc)
Over the next two years the airline will be the sole carrier for the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) between the two capital cities.
The deal comes after recent criticism surrounding the total amount of money spent by the NICS on travel.
According to the Department of Finance Personnel over a nine month period civil servants took over 2,584 bmi flights from George Best Belfast City airport to Heathrow.
The bill came to £514,503, with the average price per seat costing £199.
Although it is the long standing policy for staff to take the most economical method of travel available, less than a tenth of civil servants who travelled to London over the nine month period chose to take the cheaper route via Belfast International airport.
Aer Lingus, who opened their UK hub at Aldergrove's International Airport 18 months ago, are now considering adding a fourth daily flight to Heathrow.
Meanwhile, Aer lingus could spend around €375m (£319m) less than expected over the next three years after it announced plans to reduce its fleet and delay plans to upgrade older planes.
The loss-making will be able to delay spending between €100m and €125m each of the next three years after it postponed delivery of three Airbus 330s until the second half of 2013 and the delivery of six A350s until at least 2015.
The move will reduce the airline's long-haul fleet to eight from nine by the end of the year and comes weeks after the airline said the number of passengers crossing the Atlantic in May fell 21% to
(GK/BMcc)
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10 August 2009
'No Bonuses' For Public Sector Bosses
Senior Northern Ireland civil servants will not receive bonuses this year, The Stormont Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has said. Mr Wilson said he had considered all "relevant factors" - including public debate over public sector pay - and decided to cut the award scheme to top level workers.
'No Bonuses' For Public Sector Bosses
Senior Northern Ireland civil servants will not receive bonuses this year, The Stormont Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has said. Mr Wilson said he had considered all "relevant factors" - including public debate over public sector pay - and decided to cut the award scheme to top level workers.
14 June 2010
CIPR Journalism Awards In Full
Deric Henderson of the Press Association has been awarded the Journalist of the Year title The Belfast Telegraph lifted the title for Coca-Cola CIPR Newspaper of the Year, and the BBC's Spotlight Programme won the Coca-Cola CIPR Scoop of the Year and the Coca-Cola CIPR Current Affairs Programme of the Year for its Irish Robinson Investigation.
CIPR Journalism Awards In Full
Deric Henderson of the Press Association has been awarded the Journalist of the Year title The Belfast Telegraph lifted the title for Coca-Cola CIPR Newspaper of the Year, and the BBC's Spotlight Programme won the Coca-Cola CIPR Scoop of the Year and the Coca-Cola CIPR Current Affairs Programme of the Year for its Irish Robinson Investigation.
14 October 2002
NI civil service age of retirement upped to 65
The age of retirement for staff in the Northern Ireland Civil Service has been extended from 60 to 65 as of October 4.
NI civil service age of retirement upped to 65
The age of retirement for staff in the Northern Ireland Civil Service has been extended from 60 to 65 as of October 4.
17 June 2002
Local graduate gains national recognition
A local civil engineering graduate, Louise Mitchell from Holywood has been commended in the national NCE Graduate Awards at the 'Civils 2002' conference held in Birmingham. The national awards, which are sponsored by leading construction companies and institutions, are designed to recognise and reward gifted young engineers in the UK.
Local graduate gains national recognition
A local civil engineering graduate, Louise Mitchell from Holywood has been commended in the national NCE Graduate Awards at the 'Civils 2002' conference held in Birmingham. The national awards, which are sponsored by leading construction companies and institutions, are designed to recognise and reward gifted young engineers in the UK.
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