A newly formed lobby group, representing business and tourism interests between Donegal and Kerry, has described the crisis at Shannon as the worst to face the Co Clare airport.
The Shannon Airport Western Alliance sees the airport not just as an asset to local infrastructure but as essential to the economy of the entire west coast. Airlines have cut back drastically on services since September 11th, amounting to the loss of an estimated 21,000 seats per week in high season.
The alliance draws upon an unprecedentedly broad geographic spread. Frank Prendergast, the committee chairman and a former trade union official, said the neighbouring regions had come in behind the cause "as a matter of urgency".
"The airport itself supports between 35,000 and 40,000 jobs directly and indirectly. What we are saying to this government or any government is that in any configuration that emerges out of this situation, the people of the west of Ireland are as important as the people in the east."
The alliance will meet the Taoiseach's special adviser, Gerry Hickey, later this month before meeting Mr Ahern. Among the alliance members are Damien Brennan of North West Tourism, and Michel Rosney of Killarney of the Welcomes, along with business and local-authority representatives.
Citing the balanced regional development thrust of the National Development Plan, the members are arguing that Aer Lingus is essential to the future of the airport.
Already businesses are suffering because of the loss of the early-morning and late-evening flights to and from Dublin. Up until now, more than 50 per cent of terminal traffic travelled on Aer Lingus flights.
Mr Tom Kirby, a member of the alliance and director of the Mid West Regional Authority, added that the airport was recognised as a development gateway in the National Spatial Strategy.
"If Aer Lingus goes down, Shannon Airport goes down. We are going to have to convince the industries here in the midwest that they can stay here," he said.
In the recently announced Aer Lingus redundancies offer, more than 200 local jobs out of a total of 700 are due to be cut. The airline's Limerick office is due to close. However, there are some positive developments. Two newly formed companies are seeking to establish airlines at Shannon. Skynet, which is being run by former Aer Rianta aviation consultant Dick Healy, hopes to be operational by April and will develop European routes in partnership with Aeroflot.
A second company, Shannon Atlantic Airways, which is not as advanced in its plans, hopes to specialise in the business and high-end leisure market. The director of the company, Gerry Clarke, formerly worked for Emirates Airlines.
Martin Moroney, head of commercial development at Aer Rianta, said the curtailing of international flights by Aer Lingus and Delta was having a disproportionate effect on Shannon. Transatlantic traffic accounts for 7 per cent of total traffic in Dublin, but for 37 per cent of traffic at Shannon and is highly valued as an attraction for US companies to locate in the area. It is also important for freight services. Shannon has a throughput of about 45,000 tonnes of freight annually.
The alliance will point out that essential to the development of the airport is the planned road developments in the region.
The Government is now understood to be not in favour of developing an international airport at Oranmore, Co Galway, because of the proximity of Shannon in Clare and Knock in Mayo. Businessman Denis O'Brien and the Minister of State, ╔amon ╙ Cu∅v, have backed such a development in the past.