End of free flights for former Aer Lingus directors urged

EX-AER LINGUS directors such as former banker Seán FitzPatrick should not be entitled to free flights according to a member of the current board.

Leslie Buckley, a non-executive director of the airline, said the practise of providing free travel for former directors should stop. ‘‘From the chairman down, in Aer Lingus . . . everybody has to take the pain and has to share the pain, and has to be seen very visibly to be doing it,’’ he told Newstalk presenter Eamon Keane in an interview yesterday at the National College of Ireland.

Mr FitzPatrick, who is being investigated by gardaí for his role in trading practices at debt-laden Anglo Irish Bank, and other former directors of Aer Lingus are entitled to free first-class travel on its routes for as many years as they served on the board. In Mr FitzPatrick’s case, this means he enjoys the perk until 2012.

Serving and former directors are also entitled to the use of airport lounges through their automatic membership of the Gold Circle club. Most staff are entitled to a small number of free flights, but only on standby tickets.

Aer Lingus staff suffered pay cuts of 15 per cent and hundreds of voluntary redundancies last year as part of a cost-cutting drive at the loss-making airline, which is 25 per cent owned by the State.

New chief executive Christoph Mueller has promised an ‘‘amputation’’ rather than ‘‘plastic surgery’’ as further cuts are announced shortly.

The perks provided by Aer Lingus for its senior board managers and staff are similar to those in other older airlines. British Airways said its directors enjoyed free first-class travel on its worldwide routes; former board members also qualify for free travel, but not in first class.

Attempts to reach the Aer Lingus press office yesterday for comment on the issue were unsuccessful. The airline has refused to provide details of the take-up by directors and ex-directors of free flights.

Ryanair said none of its staff – not even Michael O’Leary – qualified for free flights. However, all staff were entitled to discounted rates on flights.

A Ryanair spokesman said last night they would be calling on the chairman to provide a full list of directors who qualifiy for free flights. “We will also be seeking clarity on who else has received flights in the last 12 months,” he added.

Aer Arann said it provided no free travel for ex-directors. A spokesman declined to say what the arrangements were for directors.

CIÉ and Irish Rail directors and senior staff are entitled to free first-class travel on the rail network and up to four weeks’ free travel on European rail networks, a spokesman said.