THE GOVERNMENT’S controversial €10 travel tax has been cited as one of the reasons for the collapse of CityJet’s Shannon to Paris Charles de Gaulle route which will be terminated late next month.
Twenty months after launching the service, and just six after increasing capacity on the route, CityJet, which is Air France’s Irish subsidiary, has announced plans to cease operations between Shannon and Paris from October 24th. The news is another critical blow to Shannon where Ryanair continues to press ahead with plans to reduce services on several routes for the winter months in protest at the Government’s €10 travel tax. The airline is cutting services and reducing the number of aircraft based at Shannon as a result, while CityJet has also laid some of the blame for the collapse of the route on the travel tax.
CityJet CEO Geoffrey O’Byrne White said: “The economics of the route really don’t make it viable given the current recession, even though it has been well used to a certain extent. Two things happened. Earlier this year we increased capacity and effectively doubled capacity on the route and had the aircraft based at Shannon to allow for an early morning departure which is what we were originally asked for. This coincided with the recession and the Shannon region has been the most adversely affected area and the people just aren’t there. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
Criticising the Government’s €10 travel tax, the airline boss said: “It is probably the case the Ireland is the most adversely affected country by the recession and by the way it is affecting the air transport industry. Most countries which have recognised this are taking steps to counteract that, but unfortunately the Irish Government doesn’t appear to be doing that, and in fact introduced the travel tax around the time of the decline.”
He also partially blamed huge job losses and the continued fear of further lay-offs in the region. “Dell and Element 6 have unfortunately been in the headlines in recent months and that has also adversely affected the route.”
Mr O’Byrne White said that staff who operated on the route will not be affected. “The people who operate these aircraft will move on to other routes. That aircraft and crew will be busy operating elsewhere in Europe.”
CityJet introduced the service in February 2008 in an effort to fill the gap in connectivity left by Aer Lingus’s withdrawal from the Shannon/Heathrow route.
Shannon airport director Martin Moroney has expressed disappointment at the news. “Unfortunately, air travel has been badly affected by the downturn and in 2009 in particular, with CityJet/Air France no exception and we accept their need to cut loss-making routes, which they are doing across their network. We will be keeping lines of communications open with them with a view to attracting them back on this service, and others, as the economy begins to recover.” Seizing the opportunity Ryanair said it was launching a “rescue”operation for passengers who had booked with CityJet by announcing a €30 (one-way including taxes and charges) fare. Ryanair operates a daily service between Shannon and Paris (Beauvais).