asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he is aware of the adverse effect on tourism of Aer Lingus ceasing to operate direct flights between Manchester and Dublin; and if it is proposed to restore such flights.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Aer Lingus Flights.
14.
All Aer Lingus flights on the Dublin/Manchester route are direct and I assume, therefore, that the Deputy's concern is related to the fact that these flights do not turn around at Manchester but continue onwards to Continental destinations. I can assure the Deputy that this practice does not result in an inadequacy of capacity on the Dublin/Manchester sector. Aer Lingus protect the traffic on this sector by an allotment system which regulates space in accordance with demand on each sector.
Throughout the summer Aer Lingus operate 14 flights per week in each direction. This service is supplemented by 18 or 19 flights per week by other companies. There is no evidence of any shortage of capacity on the route.
I am amazed by the Minister's reply. I am curious to know where the evidence has come from. I should like to tell the Minister that the owner of extensive tourist accommodation told me that he could not get flights for his tourists from Manchester because they did not start there. As the Minister is aware, Manchester is an area that traditionally supplies a large number of tourists to this country. The person who was speaking to me regarding this matter told me that he could not get accommodation on the weekend, commencing on Friday.
The Deputy may be slightly out-of-date in his observations. I understand that the company, which I imagine is the same as that referred to by the Deputy, made a complaint regarding the shortage of seats on Saturdays. Eventually Aer Lingus were able to meet and satisfy the requirements. The load factor on the Manchester route is approximately 42 per cent, showing that the available capacity in ordinary times is greater than the demand.
I spoke to this man last week.
Mr. O'Donnell
May I ask the Minister whether or not he has checked with Bord Fáilte regarding complaints from travel agents and others about the inadequacy of the service? Is the Minister aware that the departure times are not suitable?
I am not so aware. I have given all the information available to me. I will report to the Minister for Transport and Power what Deputy Clinton has said and the Minister will make further inquiries.
15.
Mr. O'Donnell
asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether he is aware of the growing number of complaints from travel agents and others about the failure of Aer Lingus to provide adequate scheduled air services between Britain and Ireland to cater for tourist traffic; and, if so, if steps will be taken to ensure that Aer Lingus will provide adequate services.
I am not aware of a growing number of complaints about the inadequacy of the Aer Lingus scheduled services between Britain and Ireland. On the routes between the two countries Aer Lingus are providing this summer up to 191 round trips per week and other companies are providing up to 127 round trips per week. Additional flights are provided in the peak periods.
The company has had some difficulty in providing capacity for one travel agent from Liverpool and Manchester at certain times on a limited number of Saturdays during the summer peak. The company has, however, met the requirements of this agent in so far as the availability of capacity during the peak period will permit.
Mr. O'Donnell
Is the Minister aware that since I raised the matter in March last further complaints have been coming into Bord Fáilte with regard to the unsuitability of the departure times on most of the cross-Channel routes? Is the Minister further aware that, according to the current summer timetable produced by Aer Lingus, most of the services from Britain are geared towards meeting the Atlantic service and are not suited to the needs of the tourist industry, to those of businessmen and others who travel between Britain and Ireland? Will the Minister check with Bord Fáilte, not with Aer Lingus?
The Minister for Transport and Power has had absolutely no complaints about this. This is the first time the suggestion has been made. As the Deputy is aware, there is not an air company in the world in which there are not certain absolute difficulties at certain peak times during the year and no air company can afford to have the number of planes available to provide every service required at the peak period because no air company would be able to service the interest and principal on the planes. Nevertheless, I will draw the attention of the Minister to the Deputy's statement.
Mr. O'Donnell
Could the Minister say whether or not the demand for weekend services, in particular through travel agents and others has been met by Aer Lingus?
I could not say——
Mr. O'Donnell
That is the point.
I could not say whether every demand has been met, for the reasons I have already stated.
Would the Minister not agree that the answer to this question provides, in fact, the answer to the previous question and proves Deputy Clinton's point? The answer states there were problems in providing accommodation in the case of one travel agent and that indicates that the previous question was a proper question and was, in fact, improperly answered. There is a case to answer.
I will draw the attention of the Minister to it to see what he can do about it.
Obviously two different civil servants answered the two questions.