Vol. 420 No. 6
109 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if she has any proposals to promote the long term future of Aer Lingus and secure viability by actively engaging in a strategic alliance with another European airline; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I have no proposals before me for a strategic alliance between Aer Lingus and any other airline. If such a proposal were to emerge, I would certainly give it careful consideration.
On a broader point, I would encourage Aer Lingus to develop linkages with foreign airlines with a view to improving access to international markets as well as achieving additional earnings in areas such as maintenance, overhaul and training. These objectives can be achieved in a number of ways short of a strategic alliance, such as, for example, joint venture agreements and service contracts. Aer Lingus have already been successful in developing a number of such linkages.
