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20/05/2009
Aer Lingus Soars With 1m Passengers
Ireland's state-backed airline has become an inflight 'millionaire' as troubled Aer Lingus reveals bookings in Northern Ireland have soared ahead of target.
Despite bad news this week on its overall financial performance, the Irish flag-carrier has now taken 1m bookings in the 17 months since it began operating from its controversial Belfast hub.
The Aldergrove International Airport in Belfast base has proved to a fillip for the otherwise ailing company.
The establishment of the base in Belfast caused controversy because it involved switching Heathrow connections from Shannon.
Now, it has emerged as the second biggest carrier operating from Aldergrove behind low-cost airline Easyjet.
Aer Lingus points to the load factor on its Belfast to London flights, as 79% of its seats were occupied, which is up a quarter on figures from April last year.
The Belfast to Malaga, Lanzarote and Paris routes are also proving popular.
However, the airline recently announced it planned to reduce some of its services from Belfast and Dublin because of the economic downturn.
Aer Lingus Chief Executive Officer Dermot Mannion has also recently handed in his resignation.
The airline's Chairman, Colm Barrington stepped in until a successor is appointed.
The resignation of Mr Mannion in April, who joined the airline in 2005, was as a major surprise in the industry.
Last summer, the airline was weathering badly in Belfast - with this million passenger target being a major boost.
In August 2008, the six month figures from the UK's Civil Aviation Authority showed just over 109,000 passengers used the Belfast to Heathrow link, well behind the 170,000 passengers who used Shannon to Heathrow during the same period in 2007.
Meanwhile, Ryanair, which operates from the smaller George Best Airport, near Belfast city centre has claimed today that compared to Aer Lingus at Aldergrove over the past 17 months, its services attracted 50% more passengers.
Ryanair says it did so while using one Belfast-based aircraft, compared to the three planes located at Aldergrove by Aer Lingus.
See: Mannion Quits Aer Lingus For 'New Ideas'
See: Aer Lingus Dismisses 'Bankrupt' Claim
See: Low Flying Aer Lingus Still Committed To NI
(BMcC)
Despite bad news this week on its overall financial performance, the Irish flag-carrier has now taken 1m bookings in the 17 months since it began operating from its controversial Belfast hub.
The Aldergrove International Airport in Belfast base has proved to a fillip for the otherwise ailing company.
The establishment of the base in Belfast caused controversy because it involved switching Heathrow connections from Shannon.
Now, it has emerged as the second biggest carrier operating from Aldergrove behind low-cost airline Easyjet.
Aer Lingus points to the load factor on its Belfast to London flights, as 79% of its seats were occupied, which is up a quarter on figures from April last year.
The Belfast to Malaga, Lanzarote and Paris routes are also proving popular.
However, the airline recently announced it planned to reduce some of its services from Belfast and Dublin because of the economic downturn.
Aer Lingus Chief Executive Officer Dermot Mannion has also recently handed in his resignation.
The airline's Chairman, Colm Barrington stepped in until a successor is appointed.
The resignation of Mr Mannion in April, who joined the airline in 2005, was as a major surprise in the industry.
Last summer, the airline was weathering badly in Belfast - with this million passenger target being a major boost.
In August 2008, the six month figures from the UK's Civil Aviation Authority showed just over 109,000 passengers used the Belfast to Heathrow link, well behind the 170,000 passengers who used Shannon to Heathrow during the same period in 2007.
Meanwhile, Ryanair, which operates from the smaller George Best Airport, near Belfast city centre has claimed today that compared to Aer Lingus at Aldergrove over the past 17 months, its services attracted 50% more passengers.
Ryanair says it did so while using one Belfast-based aircraft, compared to the three planes located at Aldergrove by Aer Lingus.
See: Mannion Quits Aer Lingus For 'New Ideas'
See: Aer Lingus Dismisses 'Bankrupt' Claim
See: Low Flying Aer Lingus Still Committed To NI
(BMcC)
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19 October 2007
Ryanair Hits Out As Aer Lingus Takes Flight
The latest news on the controversal Aer Lingus move to a Belfast operation - closing the Shannon-Heathrow route - is that its biggest rival (and ironically, its biggest shareholder), Ryanair is to provide three additional daily flights to London from Shannon Airport to ensure capacity and traffic does not fall as a result of the closure.
Ryanair Hits Out As Aer Lingus Takes Flight
The latest news on the controversal Aer Lingus move to a Belfast operation - closing the Shannon-Heathrow route - is that its biggest rival (and ironically, its biggest shareholder), Ryanair is to provide three additional daily flights to London from Shannon Airport to ensure capacity and traffic does not fall as a result of the closure.
14 August 2007
Aer Lingus Pilots Announce 48-Hour Strike
Around 500 Aer Lingus pilots have announced plans to hold a 48-hour strike next week, in protest over plans to pay staff at the company's new Belfast operation less than those in the Irish Republic. The strike is due to be held next Tuesday and Wednesday and is expected to affect all the air routes run by Aer Lingus.
Aer Lingus Pilots Announce 48-Hour Strike
Around 500 Aer Lingus pilots have announced plans to hold a 48-hour strike next week, in protest over plans to pay staff at the company's new Belfast operation less than those in the Irish Republic. The strike is due to be held next Tuesday and Wednesday and is expected to affect all the air routes run by Aer Lingus.
02 June 2009
Ryanair Flies Low
The budget airline Ryanair - which flies from two bases in Northern Ireland - has revealed financial returns showing a major nosedive in operating profits. Ryanair plunged into the red by €169.2 million (£145.9m) in the year to March after being hit with a 59% hike in its fuel bill.
Ryanair Flies Low
The budget airline Ryanair - which flies from two bases in Northern Ireland - has revealed financial returns showing a major nosedive in operating profits. Ryanair plunged into the red by €169.2 million (£145.9m) in the year to March after being hit with a 59% hike in its fuel bill.
08 October 2008
Belfast To Soar Above Aer Lingus Strike
Proposed strike action by staff at the former state-run Irish airline, Aer Lingus may not ground flights from the newly opened Belfast International Airport 'hub'. Aer Lingus has insisted that passengers flying on its services to and from Belfast would not be affected by proposed industrial action.
Belfast To Soar Above Aer Lingus Strike
Proposed strike action by staff at the former state-run Irish airline, Aer Lingus may not ground flights from the newly opened Belfast International Airport 'hub'. Aer Lingus has insisted that passengers flying on its services to and from Belfast would not be affected by proposed industrial action.
01 December 2008
Ryanair Flies Into Takeover Turbulence
There's a multi-million euro bid for Aer Lingus on the table today as budget airline Ryanair makes a fresh takeover offer. The all-cash offer would value Aer Lingus at €748m euros (£619m) a lot less than the previous offer for Aer Lingus, which valued it at €1.5 billion.
Ryanair Flies Into Takeover Turbulence
There's a multi-million euro bid for Aer Lingus on the table today as budget airline Ryanair makes a fresh takeover offer. The all-cash offer would value Aer Lingus at €748m euros (£619m) a lot less than the previous offer for Aer Lingus, which valued it at €1.5 billion.
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