Vol. 439 No. 1
6 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if he intends to accede to the request of Swissair, operating through one of its subsidiaries, to provide an air service by that company between Switzerland and Dublin.
Crossair, a subsidiary of Swissair, has applied to my Department to commence a scheduled air service between Zurich and Dublin with effect from 27 March next.
My Department has conveyed approval in principle to Crossair for the proposed service. Formal approval will issue on completion by the Swiss authorities and Crossair of the standard requirements of the Air Transport Agreement between Ireland and Switzerland.
I welcome the Minister's reply and the decision he has made in principle but let me express the hope that it will happen on the ground. Is the Minister aware that during December and January senior executives of Aer Lingus visited Swissair in Zurich on four separate occasions asking them not to go on with their application to provide this service? Does the Minister agree that has shades of Aer Lingus' approach some years ago to KLM when they illegally paid £500,000 to KLM not to provide a service between Ireland and Amsterdam? Will the Minister ensure that Aer Lingus' efforts will not be successful this time and that the Swissair service to Dublin will go ahead?
I am not aware of what the Deputy is talking about, nor does it concern me. Crossair has not yet been formally designated on the route by the Swiss authorities. We have written to them conveying approval in principle for the proposed service asking them to have the Swiss authorities formally designate them in accordance with Article 1.b of the Bilateral Air Transport Agreement between Ireland and Switzerland. We have also requested from them a copy of their authorisation to operate air services issued by the Swiss authorities, evidence of insurance and fares filing indicating the fares available on the route and associated rules. I am simply dealing with the applications on their merits.
What other requests, if any, has the Minister from other airlines to operate services in and out of Ireland?
That is a separate question. If the Deputy puts down a question I will be happy to give him the information. In regard to European Union countries, any airlines can decide on routes subject to availability of slots and the usual safety requirements. This application came in and approval has been given in principle on the basis of the application.
Although I understand the Minister's reply to Deputy O'Malley has not necessarily been evasive, has he any application from this company to fly into other airports in Ireland and did his Department actively encourage the airline to look at the other airports?
My Department is a regulatory authority. It simply gives approvals based on applications. The application in question has been approved in principle. If there are other questions the Deputy wants to ask let him put them down and I will answer them with the same candour as I have answered this one.
