asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will make a statement in regard to the phasing out of the Aer Lingus European service via Manchester.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Aer Lingus Service.
26.
I would refer the Deputy to the Press release issued by the Government Information Bureau on my behalf of the 2nd December, copy of which as been placed in the Library.
The basic purpose of the air agreement is the attainment of parity of operations between the airlines of the two countries on routes between the two countries. The balance of operations has been substantially in favour of Aer Lingus and the UK authorities sought consultations in the matter in July last in accordance with the provisions for review in the agreement.
In the talks which followed in September and December the UK authorities sought to have the balance redressed and, in particular, pressed for the elimination of the fifth freedom services between Manchester and the Continent which they held to be in conflict with the terms of the agreement. The agreement provides that in the operation of services the primary objective is the provision of capacity adequate to cater for the traffic between the two countries and that in the case of fifth freedom services capacity should be related to (a) traffic requirements to and from this country, (b) the traffic requirements of the area through which the airline passes after taking account of the air services of the airlines of the States comprising the area and (c) the requirements of through airline operations. The UK authorities pointed to the fact that on many of the routes the Aer Lingus fifth freedom traffic exceeded that carried between Dublin and Manchester or between Dublin and the points served on the Continent and that British and continental airlines are in a position to provide all the capacity required between Manchester and the Continent. It would be uneconomic for Aer Lingus to operate these services at a reduced capacity, even if this course were acceptable to the UK authorities. An understanding was reached on the basis that the present Aer Lingus third and fourth freedom services between the UK and Ireland would continue and that their fifth freedom services at Manchester would be phased out over a period of years ending in 1978.