Sir, - Irish taxpayers will no longer tolerate the propping-up of Aer Lingus with their hard-earned tax. It has been a political football for far too long and has been restructured so often yet remains the same - unmanageable. Its better managers have walked away from it and it is now losing £2 million a day.
September 11th is being blamed for its latest crisis, but let us not be fooled. Aer Lingus has never been out of trouble, in common with all national carriers. The Government must finally grasp this very hot potato and allow this monstrosity into liquidation.
Yes, we do need air services in and out of our country, but they do not necessarily have to be in green livery, so long as they bring in tourists, badly needed for giving useful employment to our hospitality industry. My solution is to let Aer Lingus sink or swim through its own efforts, but if it does not face reality fast there will be no funds left to pay redundancy to the 6,500 employees.
All Government efforts must be put behind Aer Rianta to force management to manage its costs and reduce landing charges. In this way Ireland would be an attractive and competitive location and should attract efficient airlines to operate here. Few would object to State funds being used for capital projects at airports in the same way as roads and rail networks and other infrastructural works are financed.
Low landing charges would encourage competition between airlines and have our airports buzzing. To encourage even greater competition, the Government could lease our landing slots in Heathrow to airlines servicing Ireland. The days of national airline flag-carriers are over. Air travel is now a commodity. Let us realise this and start to benefit from it. - Yours, etc.,
Noel J. Collins, Bishopstown, Co Cork.