asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether he is aware of the demand for two-way cheap excursion flights between Britain and Ireland to enable Irish people to spend a weekend with their families; and, if so, if he will take steps to enable such weekend fares to be introduced.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Britain-Ireland Excursion Flights.
19.
Mr. O'Donnell
Aer Lingus are aware of some demand for cheap week-end excursion fares between Britain and Ireland to cater for ethnic traffic but it has not been possible to introduce such fares because the weekend is the period of peak travel with very few empty seats.
Mr. O'Donnell
Is the Minister aware that there is a very big potential demand for special weekend fares across the Irish sea? Is the Minister further aware that there has been a tendency of late for groups from Ireland to travel to Britain for local parish reunions and so forth? I have been responsible for organising two such groups over the past month. There is a tremendous demand from Irish people in Britain who would like to come home for a weekend in the same way as people in Dublin avail of the cheap CIE excursions to provincial areas at the weekend. Would the Minister agree to look into this?
The economics of weekend travel at the moment are such that this would not be feasible but Are Lingus are looking into the possibility of introducing additional services with a view to facilitating the type of ethnic traffic——
Mr. O'Donnell
At special fares?
——and youth traffic at special fares at weekends. This is being investigated at the moment but, certainly, one could not interfere with the existing scheduled services which are practically full.
Is the Minister in a position to say if there are quiet periods in months like November and March when traffic would be lighter?
What the Deputy has suggested is in line with what Deputy O'Donnell has suggested, which is the question of operating special services for ethnic traffic, that is, Irish traffic in Britain which wants to come here at specific times and this is being investigated at the moment.
When the Minister is looking into this, would he also look into the reason why it costs £26.50 return from Dublin to London? It must be the dearest fare in Europe.
That is a totally different question.
They are filling the aircraft at weekends on scheduled traffic at that price. I was talking about additional traffic to cater for ethnic traffic.
You are making a good line.
Deputy Belton is incomprehensible as usual.