This article is from page 4 of the 2007-08-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
ANGRY Aer Lingus passengers tak- ing flights between Shannon and Heathrow this week flayed Aer Lin- gus management for their decision to axe the connection.
Mike Spellacy from Shannon, who used the service regularly for busi- ness before his recent retirement, described the decision as “dreadful. People will just stop doing business with this part of the country. No-one is going to come here unless they can get in and out in a day and, whatever chance there is of British business connections finding another way, if people need an onward connection, they just won’t be able to get it.”
“Crazy. Lunatic. Absurd. It’s not like they’re losing money. These flights are bloody expensive yet you still have to book weeks in advance,” said Michael Ryan, who travels sev- eral times a year to see family in Tip- OLEAN
He arrived with his sister, Carol and daughter, Rebecca and says that because his visits are for family rea- sons, he will have to find another FN
“From Shannon, I’m in Tipperary in 40 minutes. But Gatwick isn’t at all convenient. I suppose we’ll be coming into Dublin and making our way down.”
Frank Fahy from Mayo makes the journey through Shannon on busi- ness several times a year. “I can’t believe they’re going to close this route. How is anyone going to get from London to the west of Ireland without a Heathrow-Shannon link? It’s a terrible blow to business people who need that connection.”
Frank Fahy from Mayo is a regu- lar user of the route and says that he “can’t believe they would stop flying from Shannon. There’s no way I can use Shannon for business flights if I can’t get into Heathrow.”
Colin Barton, whose family is from Mayo, is living in London and says that he and hundreds of other people of Irish descent living in London will be at a complete loss for getting to the west now.
‘This was easily the most conven- ient way home for me and for a lot of other people living in London.
“By pulling that route from the air- port, Aer Lingus are pulling up the route. And Aer Lingus needn’t think that people will follow them to Bel- fast or Dublin. For business travellers who need to be able to connect inter- nationally, this is terrible but people travelling in their own time will opt for the cheaper carriers.”
Businessman Donan Kelly says he will simply “go elsewhere” to do business instead of going to Galway but added that he is “very angered” at the decision.
Margaret Doyle from Carrick-on- Suir makes a point of flying out of Shannon whenever she goes away and is a regular traveller, currently taking a year’s career break to see the world.
“IT come to Ennis to my daughter’s house and fly out of Shannon but, un- less I can get into Heathrow to con- nect with other flights and particu- larly long-haul destinations, then I’ll have to go from somewhere else”’.
The well travelled grandmother says that she dreads going to Dublin to fly as it’s “such terrible hassle.”