Confusion in Galway Airport over Route Collapse

November 13, 2004

Confusion in Airport over Route Collapse
Galway Advertiser, Ireland

CONFUSION reigned in Galway Airport last evening as to the real reason for
the collapse of the Air Wales service to Glasgow announced just last week.

At time of going to press on Wednesday, Air Wales had issued a statement
saying it was withdrawing from the offer to run the service, because it
claimed they were unaware that Aer Arann had already made arrangements to
run the service.

But this claim was denied by airport management who say Air Wales were
kept informed of the interest of other airlines all along.

The confusion came just 24 hours after Aer Arann MD Pádraic Ó Céidigh
called for the resignation of two senior airport staff — manager Jarlath
Feeney and marketing manager Peter O’Mara.

It also followed allegations that the Aer Arann management team were
thrown out of Galway airport after Ó Céidigh made the call on the Keith
Finnegan show on Galway Bay fm on Tuesday morning.

Airport manager Jarlath Feeney told the Galway Advertiser last night that
neither he nor Mr O'Mara had any intention of resigning from their posts
at the airport.

However, despite all of the confusion, it has been confirmed that Aer
Arann is putting final arrangements in place to deliver the
Galway--Glasgow air service which sparked a row this week when it was
unexpectedly withdrawn by the national Welsh airline Air Wales.

A spokesperson for Aer Arann told the Galway Advertiser last night that a
statement will be issued over the next day or two to announce its imminent
takeover of the much wanted service which will be popular among football
supporters.

"While we are still in the process of finalising the details of the
service, I can confirm that Aer Arann will operate a daily flight from
Galway to Glasgow Prestwick, Scotland's second airport. We are hoping to
have a daily service up and running by mid-December or early January," she
said.

Meanwhile a statement issued by Air Wales last night stated it withdrew
from the Glasgow Galway route “having learnt that Irish airline Aer Arann
had already made arrangements to service the route themselves”.

The statement read: "When we announced our intention to launch this
service we were unaware that any other airlines were interested in
servicing the route, or indeed had imminent plans to start it. We've since
discovered that our Celtic cousins at Aer Arann were themselves very close
to launching the same route, and of course, it's simply not viable for two
airlines to run this service. We've taken this decision out of respect for
Aer Arann and wish them every success with its launch."

However Jarlath Feeney, general manager of Galway Airport said while he
was disappointed that Air Wales had a change of heart about providing the
service, Galway Airport refutes the statement made by the airline that it
didn't realise another airline was in the running for the contract.

"There were three airlines vying for the contract and Air Wales was very
aware of this," he told the Galway Advertiser. "The same offer was being
made to each airline."

“There were three airlines vying for the contract and Air Wales was very
aware of this,” he told the Galway Advertiser. “The same offer was being
made to each airline.”

The withdrawal of the service went on to spark a major row between
management at the airport and Aer Arann, the airline that currently
operates all commerical routes in and out of Galway Airport. This
culminated in a call by MD of Aer Arann, Pádraic Ó Céidigh for the
resignation of two members of the Galway Airport's board of management --
general manager Jarlath Feeney and marketing manager Peter O'Mara.

Speaking to the Galway Advertiser last night Feeney said he was looking
forward to the matter being resolved quickly and confirmed both he and the
marketing manager will remain on at Galway Airport.


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