The board of Galway Airport is confident an alternative operator could be found for the Dublin to Galway route if Aer Lingus ends its service next year.
Aer Lingus has operated three flights a day between the two cities, but its decision to move to an all-jet fleet would mean it could no longer fly into Galway until a proposed £5 million upgrade of the Carnmore facility is completed.
Mr Jarlath Feeney, that the demand for the service was reflected in the fact that 100,000 passengers travel on the route every year.
Aer Arainn began providing two flights a day between Dublin and Galway earlier this year, and yesterday Mr Feeney expressed confidence that the frequency and standard of the Aer Lingus service can be maintained.
"We know that other airlines will be interested in this route. Our figures show that it is a potentially profitable route. The bottom line is that there will be a service. There's no way that the route will be allowed to close."
A spokesperson for Aer Lingus claimed reports of its withdrawal were premature, although she confirmed the airline would withdraw the Fokker F50 aircraft from the route.
She said that a task force was reviewing the implications of withdrawing the 50-seater aircraft from the domestic routes, and is due to issue a report next month. "No decision will be made until we evaluate what their report says," she said.