Aer Arann withdraws winter service from Galway Airport

THE future of Galway Airport is in doubt after Aer Arann announced on Wednesday that it is pulling its winter schedule from the Carnmore facility.

While management at the airport says it is not closing down, Aer Arann’s withdrawal means a serious downgrading of the airport, which will now have no commercial scheduled passenger flights for the next six months. It also means that approximately 40 direct employees of the airport including check-in staff, security personnel, bar and retail staff, air traffic controllers and administration staff are to lose their jobs.
Because of the decision, a further 35 Aer Arann staff members are being given the option to move to the airline’s other bases in Shannon, Cork, Dublin and Waterford.
According to the airline, “A small number of redundancies may arise, should some crew members not be in a position to relocate but it is Aer Arann’s priority to limit the number of redundancies where possible including the potential for staff to take unpaid leave through the winter.”
“Aer Arann Regional and Galway Airport have been working closely together to explore all commercial options in an environment where passenger numbers and revenue have continued to decline. However, despite the best endeavours of both airline and airport, bookings have continued to deteriorate and all routes are projected to be loss-making during the thinner winter season when bookings are historically lower,” a statement from Aer Arann said.
“We sincerely regret having to make this decision and we particularly regret the impact this will have on our customers, on our staff in Aer Arann Regional and on the staff of Galway Airport,” said Paul Schütz, Aer Arann’s chief executive. “The reality, however, is that we are not yet a year out of examinership and we are not in a position to continue to operate routes that are not commercially viable.”
Jim Higgins, MEP for Ireland North West and a member of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee has expressed his disappointment at the withdrawal of Aer Arann from Galway for the winter period. 
Speaking in Brussels the Fine Gael MEP said, “Higher fuel costs and lower passenger number in tougher economic times seem to have combined to make continuation of operations for Aer Arann at the airport impossible over the winter. The new motorway to Dublin is also providing fierce competition for the air routes and I’m sure that has had an impact on the lower numbers using the airport.”
The Aer Arann hangar facility and engineering staff at Galway Airport are not impacted by the decision to suspend services.
“My first concern is for our customers and our staff and we will be doing everything we can for them in the days and weeks ahead,” Mr Schütz said.
“Our staff have provided an excellent service to Galway and the West for many years and they have helped to build our reputation as a professional, safe and caring airline. Likewise, our customers deserve our thanks for their custom and remaining loyalty to us and to Galway Airport and we sincerely hope that we will be in a position to serve them again in the near future,” he said.
Aer Arann’s chief executive said that Wednesday’s announcement is necessary due to a number of factors that are outside the control of the airline.
“A number of issues have combined to bring about this decision but the biggest driver is the economy, which has led to fewer people travelling and a significant reduction in fare revenues, which is being experienced by regional airlines all over Europe,” Mr Schütz added.
“The emphasis now must be on sustainable services and by suspending loss-making services for the winter season both Galway Airport and Aer Arann Regional are doing what is best for both businesses at this time and we can work together on the potential for a resumption of services in 2012,” he added.
Aer Arann Regional is to suspend its services at Galway Airport for the winter season with effect from October 31. The airline intends to operate a normal Galway schedule up to and including Bank Holiday Monday, October 31.
The suspended Galway routes will be the Aer Arann Regional flights between the airport and London Southend, London Luton, Manchester, Edinburgh and Waterford. Passengers with confirmed booking for flights after these dates will be contacted directly by Aer Arann about their travel options.
The board of Galway Airport has said it “deeply regrets Aer Arann’s decision which is as a direct result of the challenging economic environment we are all operating in”.
“The impact of the decision is hugely significant to our staff, customers and passengers. The board of Galway Airport is committed to the continued operation of the airport and the future development of air services for Galway and the region. Galway Airport will remain open for business but at a lower category of operation in the winter season,” its statement continued.
Both Galway Airport and Aer Arann have confirmed the companies will continue to work together with a view to relaunching the Aer Arann services during the 2012 summer season.
Rita McInerney, CEO of Ennis Chamber, has said the move by Aer Arann in Galway Airport, highlights the need for a congruent countrywide infrastructure strategy.
“The air strategy for the country has always been an issue that needs to be looked at. Anyone looking at this from the outside would be puzzled that we have two airports, Dublin and Belfast on the East coast based around large populations, as well as a further airport in Waterford, then we have seven airports on the other side of the country from Derry to Cork covering a much smaller population. There needs to be a change of strategy in relation to this,” Ms McInerney told The Clare Champion.
“With the road network that has developed, it will be more difficult for regional airports to survive. Any service bringing people into the region is of real value. Galway Airport has provided different services to those operating out of Shannon. Shannon Airport must now look at how it positions itself for the future. It has always been the international airport and the transatlantic airport and that has been its strength. I believe that should be very much supported considering the types of companies locating in the region, especially the multi-nationals, many of which are American.
“It is obviously difficult for Galway and the West of Ireland to lose such services as those being withdrawn from Galway but I feel we need to have a very realistic and hard conversation about air transport for Ireland and what the strategy will be and we have to get all the airports on board. It is difficult and we need to see adjustment or we will see other airports flounder because there isn’t one strategy for the country and for a country of our size that there certainly should be,” Ms McInerney commented.
She added that anything facilitating tourists coming to the West of Ireland and businesses operating in the region should be encouraged and that the loss of any air services in the region was to the detriment of this.
“Anyone coming into Galway could very well end up here in Clare, people come to a region not an airport and we should not be insular in our approach. You don’t go to visit an airport, you go to use it. Any facility that has seen a reduction in services marks a sorry day for everyone on the west coast but I think we need to have a difficult conversation in relation to air transport to ensure the survival of airports,” Ms McInerney concluded.