A Clare TD has claimed that an announcement by Aer Lingus that it will operate a new service direct from Dublin to San Francisco post-open skies, is further confirmation that the former national airline intends to continue to reduce its commitment to Shannon airport.
Fine Gael TD Pat Breen said yesterday that a statement by the Minister for Transport in San Francisco on Friday had borne out his fears that a Dublin agenda was being promoted by Cabinet Ministers on their St Patrick's Day "junkets".
Aer Lingus said on Friday that it would commence a non-stop service between Dublin and San Francisco as soon as the EU/US agreement, which will liberalise transatlantic flights, was ratified.
Mr Breen said: "Yet again, there has been no mention of Shannon airport or how the airline would propose expanding services there. This follows the recent €8.4 million offer in incentives by a Baltimore airport to Aer Lingus to establish a direct route to Dublin and shows how Shannon airport has already become devalued in advance of open skies."
With such uncertainty facing Shannon airport, he said it was critical that the promised supports were put in place immediately so that it could be put on as secure a footing as possible.
"The Aer Lingus commitment to Shannon to maintain 400,000 passengers there is a verbal one only and I have no confidence that this guarantee will be kept."
Mr Breen said the continued failure by the Minister Martin Cullen to implement the tourism and economic development plan meant Shannon was entering a new season without a proper marketing fund.
"The Government must come to grips with this new reality that the east of the country is getting an unacceptable share of tourism and business," he added.