UPDATE 1-Aer Lingus May traffic down on ash disruption

June 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment

DUBLIN, June 8 (Reuters) – Irish airline Aer Lingus (AERL.I) carried fewer passengers in May year-on-year after a volcanic ash cloud disrupted flights again.

Aer Lingus, which has been cutting costs to survive against former suitor Ryanair (RYA.I), carried 876,000 passengers, down 9.9 percent on May 2009 however its load factor — a measure of how well it fills planes — rose by 5.6 percentage points to 79.3 percent.

The spread of ash from an erupting volcano in Iceland grounded much of European air traffic for nearly a week in April. It also periodically forced the short-term closure of parts of airspace across Europe in May.

As a consequence of the disruptions caused by the ash clouds, Aer Lingus said there there were 11 days in May when it did not operate all of its scheduled flights.

The former state carrier has said that the closures would cut earnings by about 20 million euros ($24 million). [ID:nLDE64304U]

Ryanair said last week May booked passenger numbers rose 17 percent year on year to 6.44 million, before accounting for ash cloud closures. [ID:nWLA5565] (Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Mike Nesbit) ($1=.8375 euros)

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Ireland reopens airports despite ash threat

May 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) says it will allow flights to resume from all Irish airports but volcanic ash could bring more disruptions later in the week and periodically throughout the summer.

The IAA had closed airports for six hours on Tuesday due to a risk of ash ingestion in aircraft engines, although overflights of Ireland from Britain and continental Europe had not been banned.

“The situation will be reviewed as the week goes on,” the IAA said in a statement.

Continued northerly winds forecast for the coming days could bring more clouds of volcanic ash from an Icelandic eruption and disruption for passengers this week, it said.

“We could be faced with this periodically during the summer,” IAA chief executive Eamonn Brennan told public radio station RTE.

“We are probably facing a summer of uncertainty due to this ash cloud.”

Earlier on Tuesday former state airline Aer Lingus said last month’s closures lasting several days cut its earnings by about 20 million euros ($29 million), with the final bill dependent on the impact on passengers’ longer-term travel plans.

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Aer Lingus chief executive to leave – reports

April 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The chief executive of Aer Lingus, Dermot Mannion, is preparing to leave the Irish airline, The Sunday Business Post reported.

The newspaper quoted sources as saying the parting was “amicable” and the former state airline will begin an immediate search for a successor.

The Irish Mail on Sunday newspaper also reported Mannion was set to leave.

A spokeswoman for the airline declined to comment.

Mannion has fought off two takeover bids from rival Ryanair since taking over as chief executive in 2005 and the airline has said it was unlikely to make a pre-tax profit this year due to stiff competition and recession.

He was hit by controversy earlier this year when it was revealed his contract had been changed to ensure him a payment of up to 2.8 million euros ($3.74 million) if Aer Lingus was taken over.

The change was later scrapped.

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