A protest march of between 4,000 and 5,000 people was told last night in Shannon that the event was "the first step in the long march to have the Heathrow slots restored".
Addressing the "Solidarity Walk" on the road leading into Shannon airport, Aer Lingus worker Tony Kinnane said that the Aer Lingus workers were "humbled by the sheer volume of people that have turned out".
Aer Lingus workers assembled at the Ballymurtagh roundabout outside Shannon to be told by Clare Fine Gael TD Pat Breen that there would be "no surrender" until the Heathrow routes were restored.
He said: "This is the start of a long campaign."
The mayor of Limerick, Cllr Ger Fahy, said: "We have heard from the various interests already in this, but we are sending out a very strong message from here tonight that people power is now at play and Government cannot ignore people power."
The mayor of Shannon, Cllr Sean McLoughlin, who had earlier met Aer Lingus chief executive Dermot Mannion,dismissed as "hogwash" the possibility of Shannon securing the two slots at Heathrow currently leased to two other airlines. He said: "We want our own slots back."
Other Oireachtas members on the stage included Jan O'Sullivan (Labour), Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael) and Fianna Fáil Clare TD, Timmy Dooley .
Mr Dooley criticised the briefings given on behalf of Government Ministers to the media, which he said showed a lack of understanding of the issues involved.
