Madam, - Is there anyone out there who is prepared to shout "Stop" to the lunacy that threatens to overrun our national airline?
While all sensible people would applaud the almost miraculous turnaround in its fortunes, a few questions need to be asked before irrevocable decisions are taken.
1. Do we want or need Ireland to be serviced almost exclusively by two cut-price budget airlines?
2. Are we prepared for the inevitable abandonment of baggage allowances, wheelchair access, travel lounges and transfer facilities that this move implies?
3. How can we expect executives on busy transatlantic routes to travel to Europe through Ireland when baggage and flight transfers will become a thing of the past on Aer Lingus once it leaves the Oneworld alliance?
4. Are we to sacrifice the long and proud tradition of Aer Lingus as a premier world airline on the altar of profit? Just how much profit does the Government want to make from this proposal?
5. Having made the decision to "dumb down", are we then going to hand the entire enterprise over to a management buyout team so that more multi-millionaires can be made out of a State asset?
6. Is anyone out there really examining the implications of this for Ireland Inc? IDA, Irish-America Chamber of Commerce, IBEC, where are your voices?
We all welcome the new routes implemented by Aer Lingus but we should not be blinded into believing that these routes have to be paid for by ditching ethos, service and standards.
Wake up! This is a classic "get rich" scheme and, as with all such schemes the consumer/taxpayer will be the ultimate loser. - Yours, etc.,
J. BRIAN WALSH, North Great George's Street, Dublin 1.
Madam, - Two of the world's most renowned airlines, Emirates and Singapore, represent a country and a state that are smaller than Ireland. Their airlines are a vital cog in the promotion and growth of both their commercial and tourist industries. The airports that are the hub for these airlines are also major destinations for a myriad of other international carriers.
Here in this small island we are very heavily dependent on two flag-carriers, both of which are taking us pell-mell into the world of no-frills transport. The recent conversion of our national airline to this ethos is fraught with danger for both tourism and industry.
In recent months Aer Lingus has turned its back on travel agents, inward tour agents, and its core of loyal passengers built up over many years - with the guillotining of the TAB scheme - and more recently on industry, by no longer offering inter-line freight service into Europe. Even the premier service across the Atlantic has been noticeably downgraded in the past year.
It seems fair to assume that Aer Lingus management's prime objective is to sell seats and maximise revenue to the detriment of the bigger picture, Ireland Inc.
While Fáilte Ireland and Enterprise Ireland seek to attract high value tourists and major inward investment Aer Lingus seem to be dancing to a very different tune. - Yours, etc.,
JONATHAN IRWIN, Ballitore, Co Kildare.
Madam, - As a regular long-haul traveller I strongly object to Aer Lingus's possible withdrawal from the Oneworld alliance. If this should happen I would be forced to move my custom elsewhere. I pose some questions in this regard:
Are senior management managing the airline for their own possible future financial benefit?
When is our Government going to act to prevent the destruction of this national asset?
Does every restaurant need to be McDonald's? - Yours, etc.,
OLIVIA LOMBARD, North Avenue, Mount Merrion, Co Dublin.
Madam, - This is our national airline, for God's sake. Would you ever see British Airways, Lufthansa or KLM doing this? - Yours, etc.,
GRAHAM BUTLER, Kilpedder, Co Wicklow.