Aer Lingus is to lay off staff as it announces it is to permanently close its cabin crew base in Shannon Airport, reports Clodagh Dooley
Yet more sad news for the travel industry, as Aer Lingus has announced the permanent closure of its cabin crew base at Shannon Airport.
Commenting on the airline’s announcement, Mary Considine, CEO of Shannon Group, said, “Our thoughts are with the Shannon-based Aer Lingus employees impacted by this decision. It is extremely disappointing news for them.
“This announcement highlights, once again, the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic across the aviation sector here. Restoring regional connectivity and international travel will be pivotal to economic recovery, as we emerge from the effects of the pandemic. Critical to this will be the urgent implementation of a clear road map and timelines for the restart of aviation.”
Mary continued, “Aer Lingus remains a valued partner for Shannon Group, and we value our long-established and continuing relationship with the airline. We are committed to working with them and all our aviation partners on the restoration of vital services to and from Shannon Airport which are critical for business and tourism sectors.”
The Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) has also expressed disappointment at the announcement by Aer Lingus that they plan the permanent closure of their cabin crew base in Shannon.
Pat Dawson, CEO of the ITAA, said, “We were disappointed to hear of the permanent closure of Aer Lingus’s cabin crew base in Shannon Airport and the loss of Aer Lingus jobs in the area. This is a further blow to our industry during these strange and difficult times. Local tourism will suffer as a result, as well as the negative implications for inbound and outbound travel from Shannon.”
He continued, “This closure has been on the cards since the arrival of Covid-19 in Ireland and highlights the difficulties the travel industry has been experiencing over the last year. It demonstrates the need for Government support for the Irish travel industry, in order to retain jobs and repair some of the damage caused by the pandemic. The Irish Travel Agents Association are calling on the Government to extend income support for the travel industry into 2022, when the public is back travelling and holidaying again.”
Clodagh Dooley
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