Santa Claus, children from Our Lady’s Hospital for sick Children, Crumlin, Aer Arann volunteers, hospital staff and the staff at Sligo Airport pictured at the special Aer Arann Santa Visit 2010

Tuesday, 21^st December 2010:  It was destination “North Pole” in Sligo for children of Our Lady’s Hospital for sick Children, Crumlin recently, as Aer Arann took to the skies for a very exciting visit to see Santa!

The children arrived at Dublin Airport along with their parents and staff from the hospital to be greeted by a crew of Santa’s helpers, including “Mrs. Claus”, who looked after the guests on the dedicated flight to Santa’s grotto in Sligo.

On the flight the children were treated to entertainment by Santa’s helpers including enthusiastic carol singing by the cabin crew. Once the plane touched down, the children were shown into Santa’s grotto for some festive treats where they eagerly waited to meet the man in red!

Shortly afterwards, Santa Claus himself arrived in style by touching down in an impressive red Coast Guard helicopter, much to the amazement of the children present.

Santa Claus arrives in style in an impressive red Coast Guard helicopter

It was fun and games for all, as each child had a chance to meet with Santa and tell him what they wanted for Christmas and to have their photographs taken.

After several hours of Christmas fun including face-painting and more, the children boarded their Aer Arann flight back to Dublin, along with Santa who accompanied them on the flight home. Each child returned with a gift from Santa.

Pictured was: Santa Claus, with Aer Arann volunteers: Liam Lalor, Mrs Claus (Maria Sweeney) Celine McGuigan, Kate Maher, Dani Ryan and Rosa O’Sullivan

This was the ninth annual Christmas flight arranged by Aer Arann for the Children of our Lady’s Hospital, Crumlin with this year proving extremely successful thanks to the commitment of Aer Arann volunteers, hospital staff and the staff at Sligo Airport.

Tuesday, 14^th December 2010: Aer Arann and Aer Lingus have announced that the next phase of their franchise agreement will see the addition of a sixth ATR 72 aircraft to the Aer Lingus Regional fleet from next March.

The aircraft will be used to launch two new routes between Dublin and both Bristol and Aberdeen with onward connections from Dublin to Aer Lingus trans-Atlantic services.

Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Aer Arann, will fly 3 return flights 6 days each week and two returns flights on Saturdays between Dublin and Bristol offering new morning, afternoon and evening frequency options for business customers. The 20 weekly return flights between the UK South West’s largest city and Dublin will also boost leisure and tourist travel to the capital.

Dublin flights will connect Aer Lingus New York, Boston, Chicago and Orlando services to and from Bristol which currently has no direct services to the United States.

Aer Lingus Regional already operates from both Cork and Shannon to Bristol and the new Dublin route revives the first ever Aer Lingus route in the airline’s 75^th birthday year.

The Dublin Aberdeen service will operate every day except Saturday and the new link will promote business ties with Scotland’s prosperous oil region as well as promoting leisure and tourist travel.   

With no trans-Atlantic services available from Aberdeen the new connection through Dublin to Aer Lingus New York flights and onwards throughout the United States will be a major advantage for business and leisure passengers.

As well as the convenience of flying from their home airport connecting passengers from both Bristol and Aberdeen will also benefit from the new US Customs and Immigrations clearance facilities in Dublin that will allow them to arrive in the US as domestic passengers.

Commenting on today’s announcement Aer Arann Chief Executive Paul Schütz said “the additional aircraft and routes demonstrate the confidence of Aer Arann and Aer Lingus in the franchise flying model that matches capacity and frequency requirements to demand”. 

“These new routes will extend the successful cooperation between our two airlines and will benefit both business and tourism by stimulating the point to point market with excellent business timings and leisure options and by providing through booking connections to the United States from the UK regions”, Mr. Schütz concluded.

Welcoming the announcement the Chief Commercial Officer of Aer Lingus Stephen Kavanagh said “Aer Lingus is delighted to be extending our network into Aberdeen and Bristol. These new route launches mark an expansion of the partnership between Aer Lingus and Aer Arann and we look forward to welcoming customers on board in 2011.”

The addition of Bristol and Aberdeen increases the total number of Aer Lingus Regional routes operated by Aer Arann to 15 with passenger numbers expected to grow to 750,000 in 2011.

Flights on both routes will be operated by Aer Arann ATR 72 aircraft and crew with the first flights on March 27^th 2011. Flights between Dublin and both UK cities are on sale from today on aerlingus.com. Connecting flights from Bristol and Aberdeen to the United States are also on sale through travel agents from today and will be available from January 6^th 2011 on aerlingus.com.

Monday October 11^th:  In the High Court today Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan approved the continuation of the examinership of Comhfhorbairt (Gaillimh) trading as Aer Arann.

Today the Examiner, Mr. Michael McAteer of Grant Thornton informed the court that a conditional investment agreement had been signed today and in light of this he remained of the opinion that the Company has a reasonable prospect of survival as a going concern.   

The Examiner is in the process of finalising his Scheme of Arrangement and intends to issue these proposals to creditors in the coming days. Creditors meetings will be held in the week beginning October 18^th.

The next court hearing has been set for 22^nd October.

Monday October 11^th: Aer Arann has announced that it is to increase the frequency on its Aer Lingus Regional Shannon to Manchester franchise service to a twice daily service every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

The increased frequency will allow passengers to travel day return to Manchester and vice versa eliminating the need for an overnight stay in either region, which is sure to appeal to the many business passengers using the service.

The new services are on sale from today and will begin operating on October 31st. To celebrate the new flights a special sale fare of €19.99 one way including taxes will be available until October 30^th with travel from October 31^st to the end of March. Bookings can be made on www.aerlingus.com  

Commenting on the announcement Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly said “We are delighted to offer increased choice and flexibility to customers using this service.

Since it first launched in July 2010, the service has proved extremely successful and we are responding to passenger requests to increase the frequency on this route to offer day return services, and we are confident this will bring even more new passengers on our flights linking Shannon with Manchester.”

Also commenting on the announcement, Aer Lingus Director of Communications Declan Kearney said “Aer Lingus Regional services have enjoyed strong support from customers since their launch earlier this year. Aer Lingus welcomes the introduction of these additional services from Shannon and wishes Aer Arann continued success.”

Shannon Airport Director Martin Moroney said “The Aer Arann/Aer Lingus Regional service has only been operating from Shannon since July and this expansion is a major vote of confidence in the route. Shannon will now have a double daily service to Manchester four times a week and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership with Aer Arann”.

Daily flights to Manchester will also continue to operate every Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. Aer Arann also operates Aer Lingus Regional services from Shannon to Birmingham, Bristol and Glasgow as part of its franchise agreement with the national carrier.

Monday 4^th October 2010: Aer Arann is introducing a new payment card fees scheme which will enable more customers to make a booking without paying a payment card fee.

From October 18th 2010 all bookings made using a Mastercard Prepaid Card will not attract a payment card fee. Bookings made with all other credit cards and debit cards will attract a payment card fee of €5 or £5 per person per sector.

Mastercard Prepaid cards are widely available in Ireland and the UK from a number of providers and can be acquired online and in retail outlets. They can be acquired quickly and easily are available without a credit rating or credit check.

Currently some debit cards do not attract a payment card fee but these cards are not available to all customers. This free payment card option will end on October 17th 2010.

Thursday 16^th September 2010: One Offer…One Route…One Lunchtime!

Aer Arann has launched a unique new online campaign, titled ‘Regional Roulette’ offering significant discounts on specific routes on its network on a weekly basis, beginning this Friday September 17.

The campaign evolved following the phenomenal success of the airline’s frequent ‘Happy Hours’ – an online campaign that offers customers surprise discounts across its network for one day only over a three hour period.

With ‘Regional Roulette’ the same method applies, however the offer will instead happen every Friday between 12pm and 2pm as opposed to sporadically. The element of surprise lies in the fact that the route that is being discounted and the offer itself will not be revealed until it becomes available on aerarann.com at 12pm on the day.

Aer Arann customers that are signed up to the airline’s regular ezine will have the added benefit of being directly notified by email at 11.30am on the Friday if the region they are from is included on that day’s ‘Regional Roulette’.

Aer Arann’s Twitter followers will also be notified simultaneously. All other customers can simply log onto the website between that two hour window every Friday to learn what the discount is and what route it applies to on that particular day.

Commenting on the campaign, Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly said “Having recognised the huge success of the ‘Happy Hour’ campaigns we are now adding an additional element of surprise and anticipation with ‘Regional Roulette’.

This campaign, as with our ‘Happy Hours’, will be solely advertised via online media, a channel we have embraced over the past year and which is proving hugely popular with customers. Once again we will be using a combination of website advertising, direct email and social media to promote ‘Regional Roulette’ to passengers” he added. 

Mr. Kelly also confirmed that the airline would continue to offer regular ‘Happy Hours’ occasionally across its network as well as the new ‘Regional Roulette’ campaign.

For further information on Aer Arann’s Regional Roulette campaign and to learn about offers, visit www.AerArann.com every Friday between 12pm and 2pm. Customers can also sign up the airline’s ezine via the website and become a Twitter follower on twitter.com/aerarann.

Aer Arann

 “in examination (under the Companies (Amendment) Act 1990)”

Wednesday 8^th September 2010: In the High Court today Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan confirmed the appointment of Mr. Michael McAteer of Grant Thornton as Examiner to Comhfhorbairt (Gaillimh) trading as Aer Arann.

The company has been in Interim Examinership and under the protection of the Court since August 26^th following a petition made by the airline to the High Court.

Aer Arann continues to operate normally during the period of examinership, flying all Aer Arann services and all Aer Lingus Regional services operated under the airline’s franchise agreement with Aer Lingus.

No flights have been cancelled or are planned to be cancelled and reservations can continue to be made on www.aerarann.com.  All bookings for Aer Lingus Regional services can continue to be made with confidence on www.aerlingus.com

Aer Arann will remain in examinership for an initial period of up to 70 days. The airline is using this time to re-organise and re-structure the business under the protection of the Court.  

Aer Arann and the Examiner are also using the time to negotiate with potential investors and a number of parties have expressed their interest in the airline.

Aer Arann

 “in examination (under the Companies (Amendment) Act 1990)”

Thursday 26^th August 2010: In the High Court this evening Justice Maureen Clarke appointed Mr. Michael McAteer of Grant Thornton as Interim Examiner to Comhfhorbairt (Gaillimh) trading as Aer Arann. The petition to enter examinership was made by the company following a resolution of its Board of Directors.

Justice Clarke set 8^th September as the date for a full hearing of the company’s application and in the meantime Aer Arann is in interim examinership and under the protection of the Court.

Aer Arann intends to operate normally during the period of examinership and intends to fly all Aer Arann services and all Aer Lingus Regional services operated under the airline’s franchise agreement with Aer Lingus.

No flights have been cancelled or are planned to be cancelled and reservations can continue to be made on www.aerarann.com.  Aer Arann intends that there will be no impact on customer travel or bookings as a result of the move into examinership.

Aer Lingus will continue to work with Aer Arann on the provision of services through the franchise agreement between the airlines. All bookings for Aer Lingus Regional services can continue to be made with confidence on www.aerlingus.com

Following the High Court hearing on 8^th September Aer Arann expects to remain in examinership for an initial period of up to 70 days. During that time the company will benefit from the protection of the Court from its creditors so that it can re-organise and re-structure the business.

Aer Arann and the Examiner will also use the time to negotiate with potential investors and a number of parties have expressed their interest in the airline.

Examinership is a provision in Irish company law that is designed to help companies that have financial difficulties but that also have a reasonable prospect of survival and the High Court, the Independent Accountants and Aer Arann consider that the company has a viable business plan. The airline will operate as normal in order to preserve as many of the 320 jobs in the company as possible and the hundreds of associated jobs in airports and aviation support services companies.

The decision to petition for examinership follows two years of loss-making trading in a difficult economic environment with recession negatively impacting the global aviation industry followed by the volcanic ash disruptions this year.

Following a cost reduction programme and the signing of the franchise agreement with Aer Lingus which has proven to be profitable Aer Arann was on budget for 2010.  However the direct impact of the Volcanic Ash disruptions earlier this year and the subsequent drop in forward bookings and yield revenue led to the requirement to re-structure and seek new investment through examinership.

Details on Aer Arann’s performance will be reserved for the hearing in the High Court but in broad terms the airline lost approximately €6million in each of 2008 and 2009. Losses of €6million have been incurred to date this year predominantly due to the impact of the volcanic ash disruption. These combined losses have led to a deficit in shareholder funding of approximately €13million at the end of July this year.

The company had been trading well in the first quarter of 2010 but following the losses of the previous two years it did not have the cash reserves to deal with the downturn precipitated by the volcanic ash crisis in the second quarter.

Examinership has worked for a number of high profile Irish companies and in the United States a number of major airlines have entered the similar Chapter 11 system and having operated normally during their period in Chapter 11 they emerged as stronger airlines.

Aer Arann would like to thank all of the airline’s loyal customers for their support to date and looks forward to continuing to serve them

The examinership does not involve Aer Arann Islands which is a separate company.

Aer Arann

(In examinership (under companies (amendment) Act 1990))

Thursday August 12th: Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Aer Arann has teamed up with Ireland’s Shannon Region to offer its visiting passengers significant discounts on the areas top amenities and attractions.

All passengers travelling to Shannon with Aer Lingus Regional from Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester will be offered a FREE 25% discount card after boarding their flight. The card can then used to receive the discount on entry to fantastic attractions such as Bunratty Castle’s Medieval and Irish nights, Lahinch Surf School, The Burren Centre, Kilrush Golf Club and much more.

Details on how to redeem the 25% discount and a full list of the destinations and attractions where the card is valid is available on www.shortbreaksireland.ie

Aer Lingus Regional is a joint franchise arrangement between Aer Arann and Aer Lingus which operates direct flights to Shannon. The airlines recently announced an expansion of the franchise with additional frequencies on flights to Cork from Manchester and Birmingham beginning on October 31^st. All Aer Lingus Regional flights can be booked on www.aerlingus.com with fares starting from £29.99/ €29.99 one way including taxes.

Shannon is situated in the county of Clare which is renowned for its rich music scene, stunning scenery and endless amenities. Shannon Airport is the ideal gateway to the region as it is not only conveniently located in Clare but is also only a short distance from the neighbouring city of Limerick where superb shopping and nightlife is paramount, not to mention that it houses the famous Thomond Park, home to the Munster Rugby team. For more information on all that the Shannon Region has to offer visit www.discoverireland.ie/clare

Tuesday August 10th: Aer Arann is set to benefit from a major training facility with the recent arrival of the first ever ATR 72/42 aircraft full flight simulator in Ireland.

The simulator is managed by Simtech Aviation at Dublin Airport and is the only ATR flight simulator in the UK and Ireland.

An inside view of the new ATR Simulator located at Simtech Aviation at the Dublin Airport Logistics Park

Aer Arann, as the anchor client of the simulator, will utilise a significant proportion of the available training time over the course of the year, in an agreement over a 10 year period. This represents a major commitment by Aer Arann in its future pilot training requirements.

The simulator is primarily a training facility for Aer Arann, which means training new pilots as well as using it to perform proficiency checks for current Aer Arann pilots that previously took place in Toulouse, France at the ATR facility. Training and checks include handling of simulated emergency situations, systems failures and standard company procedures. It can also be used in training pilots progressing from First Officers to Captains.

In addition, the simulator will be used to perform training for pilots who have never flown an ATR aircraft before allowing them to qualify with a type rating endorsement on their licence.

The simulator uses a 6 electric axis, 36-inch stroke motion base, certified by the Irish Aviation Authority to Level C. This device represents the most up to date facility in Ireland. Daylight, night time, all weather graphics, full motion two crew, two observer seats and touch screen instructor station are the primary features of the ATR simulator.

As well as the obvious cost saving benefits to Aer Arann with training and checks now taking place in Ireland rather than France, the simulator is also a revenue generating facility, with pilots throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe now travelling to Dublin to avail of simulator training.

Simtech’s established facility at Dublin Airport is the perfect location for the ATR simulator and the addition of this latest training facility will contribute greatly to making Ireland recognised as a centre of excellence for aviation training.

The simulator is available to anyone wishing to train and qualify to fly ATR aircraft and is also used to conduct fear of flying courses and workshops.

Welcoming the arrival of the simulator John Halpin Director of Operations at Aer Arann said “The arrival of the ATR simulator to Dublin is the culmination of a number of years of negotiation with simulator manufacturers and providers in an effort to make a viable business case to locate an ATR simulator in Dublin.

We now have an efficient means on a state of the art facility to perform recurrent training with our existing 100 pilots, who until now had to travel to France at least twice per year. We also offer third party training to other airlines and private individuals wishing to obtain an ATR type rating qualification”.

Captain Sé Pardy, Director at Simtech said “Simtech are proud to have played its part in both hosting the full flight simulator and achieving full flight certification for the ATR simulator. We look forward to playing a significant role in the continued success of Aer Arann’s flight training requirements”.

For further information regarding the simulator and to enquire about training and facilities visit www.Simtech.ie or call 01 8448073.

An external view of the new ATR Simulator, of which Aer Arann is anchor client

Wednesday July 28: Aer Arann has announced the suspension of its services from Cork to Dublin and Belfast with effect from Tuesday 31^st August. Passengers with bookings for flights after that date will be contacted by the airline and will receive a full refund.

Currently Aer Arann operates one return flight per day, except Saturdays, between Cork and both Dublin and Belfast and both routes are served by the same Dublin based aircraft.

The routes are being suspended because one aircraft, a 48-seat ATR-42, is being returned at the end of a lease agreement. The aircraft is one of the longest serving in the airline’s fleet and its departure will mean a temporary reduction in overall fleet size by one aircraft.

Aer Arann remains committed to Cork Airport and just three weeks ago announced additional Aer Lingus Regional flights, operated by Aer Arann, from Cork to Manchester and Birmingham. This development will mean that the airline will base a second 72-seat ATR-72 aircraft in Cork from the start of the winter schedule at the end of October.

Aer Arann Director of Corporate Affairs Andrew Kelly said “we sincerely regret having to suspend these services and the inconvenience that it will cause our loyal customers on both routes. Unfortunately however we have an aircraft leaving the fleet and this has an obvious but regrettable impact on our schedule”.

“We intend to develop our fleet with an emphasis on reducing the cost per seat so that we can offer lower fares and better value to our customers in the longer term. As part of this process we will continue to look at opportunities for new and additional services from Cork as our fleet expands over time and the potential to restart services on the Dublin and Belfast routes will be kept under consideration.”

All passengers booked on the Cork – Dublin and Cork – Belfast services from August 31^st will be contacted directly by Aer Arann Customer Relations and will be fully refunded for their flights.

Monday 5^th July: Aer Arann and Aer Lingus have announced the addition of new services between Cork and both Manchester and Birmingham in the latest development of the franchise agreement between the two airlines.  

From October 31^st 2010, Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Aer Arann, will provide additional flights to Manchester and Birmingham that will effectively double the number of services on each route.  The increased frequency means that the Manchester service will operate twice a day seven days per week, while the Birmingham service will operate twice a day six days a week with a single return flight on Saturdays.

The new schedule will offer business customers the frequency required to spend a full business day in Cork, Manchester or Birmingham and it will offer additional choice for leisure passengers.

Commenting on the announcement, Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly said “We are delighted to launch these flights as part of the franchise agreement in the same week that we launched new franchise services to four UK cities from Shannon.”

“The addition of these new services, combined with the services already operating under the Aer Lingus Regional franchise from Cork offer passengers travelling to and from each of these destinations greater choice, flexibility and convenience” he added.

Also commenting on the announcement, Aer Lingus Director of Communications Declan Kearney said “Aer Lingus Regional services have enjoyed strong support from customers in the short time since their launch. Aer Lingus welcomes the introduction of these additional services from Cork and wishes Aer Arann continued success.”

Flights to Birmingham and Manchester with Aer Lingus start from €29.99 one way including taxes. For further flight information and to make a booking visit www.aerlingus.com

Thursday 1^st July: The first of the Aer Arann and Aer Lingus franchise flights took to the skies today; just over four weeks after the services were announced.  

 From today Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Aer Arann, will provide direct flights to Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Bristol from Shannon Airport. Flights to Manchester and Glasgow will operate seven days per week, while Bristol and Birmingham will operate every day except Saturdays.

Pictured at the inaugural Aer Lingus Regional flight to Birmingham from Shannon today were( L to R) Aer Arann crew Nikki Raftery from Ennis Sarah Baggott from Limerick Maeve King and Arlene O Halloran from Ennis.

 The first flight of the day was the 7am departure to Birmingham and to mark the celebration all passengers travelling on the flight were treated to a complimentary breakfast reception in the departures area prior to boarding.

Speaking at Shannon Airport this morning following the first departure Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly said “Today signifies a new chapter both for us and for our franchise partner, and indeed for Shannon Airport as we celebrate the first flights under phase two of this franchise agreement.

We hope that the success of phase one of the franchise is emulated here in Shannon over the coming months with more and more passengers taking advantage of the choice, flexibility and convenience that these services have to offer” he added.

Also commenting on the announcement, Aer Lingus Director of Communications Declan Kearney said “Aer Lingus Regional services have enjoyed strong support from customers in the short time since their launch. Aer Lingus welcomes the introduction of these additional services from Shannon and wishes Aer Arann continued success.”

Director of Shannon Airport Martin Moroney said “We are delighted to be working with Aer Arann and Aer Lingus as part of this new franchise arrangement. The launch of these new services is not only good news for the airport but also for the region as it offers Irish travelers regular low cost access to the UK in addition to providing the West of Ireland tourism sector with the opportunity to increase the number of UK visitors to the region. I wish Aer Lingus Regional every success and look forward to working with them in the coming months”.

Flights to Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester with Aer Lingus Regional start from €29.99 one way including taxes. For further flight information and to make a booking visit www.aerlingus.com

Pictured boarding the inaugural Aer Lingus Regional flight to Birmingham from Shannon today was Rónán Berrow from Kilrush, Co. Clare. Also pictured are Aer Arann crew Nikki Raftery from Ennis and Sarah Baggott from Limerick

Wednesday 9^th June: Aer Arann staff and friends have helped to raise €2,620 for The Children’s Medical and Research Foundation at our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin.

The funds were raised as part of the airline’s annual Santa flight where patients from Our Lady’s Hospital and their parents are taken on a mystery Aer Arann flight to visit Santa Claus each Christmas.

The December 2009 flight saw the children whisked off to the Isle of Man for a day with Aer Arann where they were greeted by Santa Claus himself and were treated to a party with plenty of fun and games before boarding the flight back to Dublin.

The fundraising efforts were initially organised in order to raise funds for the party with gifts for each child. However, the contributions by Aer Arann staff, their families and friends were so generous that a surplus of €2,260 was raised which has been donated directly to The Children’s Medical and Research Foundation at Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin.

At the official cheque presentation Aer Arann Chief Executive Paul Schütz said “We would like to sincerely thank all of our fantastic staff, their families and friends who contributed to the fundraising efforts on behalf of the airline and helped to make our annual Santa flight such a great success. We are delighted to support The Children’s Medical and Research Foundation in their vital work on behalf of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin”.

Johann Fox, Development and Promotions Executive with the CMRF added “I would like to thank Aer Arann for their ongoing support and effort in arranging the Santa flight and other fundraising activities to support the hospital. This event means so much to the children at Our Lady’s, some who themselves had to spend Christmas in the hospital. It is also a great example of the difference a company can make to the life of a sick child and the funds will greatly aid our efforts to fund the development of St John’s oncology unit and St Michael’s respiratory unit in 2010”.

St Michael’s ward attends to children who have cystic fibrosis or other respiratory-based illnesses. Once diagnosed, these children live with their illnesses their whole lives and require continuous monitoring. The life expectancy for a child with cystic fibrosis is 32 years. St Michael’s is currently undergoing a €1.6m refurbishment to produce a state of the art world-recognised facility.

Pictured at the official cheque presentation at Aer Arann Head Office are Pádraig Ó Céidigh, Chairman, Aer Arann, Edel O’ Malley, Operations Director, CMRF; Johann Fox, Development and Promotions Executive, CMRF; Paul Schütz, Aer Arann Chief Executive and Liam Lalor, Security Manager, Aer Arann

Monday 31^st May: Aer Arann and Aer Lingus today announced four new routes to the UK from Shannon in Phase Two of the airlines franchise agreement. The announcement comes just two months after the launch of franchise operations from Dublin and Cork.

Pictured at the announcement at Shannon today were Melanie Fitzgerald (Aer Arann senior Cabin Crew) Paul Schutz (Chief Executive Aer Arann) Minister Tony Killeen (Minister for Defence)Alan Long (Base Manager Aer Lingus) Brian O'Connell (Chairman Shannon Airport Authority) and Kerry Crozier (Aer Arann senior Cabin Crew)

From July 1^st, Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Aer Arann, will provide direct flights to Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Bristol from Shannon Airport. Flights to Manchester and Glasgow will operate seven days per week, while Bristol and Birmingham will operate every day except Saturdays. Flights can be booked on www.aerlingus.com and are on sale from Wednesday 2^nd June with fares starting at €39.99 one way including taxes.

Pictured at the announcement in Shannon Airport today were Paul Schutz (Chief Executive Aer Arann)Minister Tony Killeen TD (Minister for defence)

This latest announcement has been welcomed in the Midwest as a boost for the Midwest region with the new services offering direct access both to and from busy UK centres.

Announcing the new routes in Shannon Airport today, Aer Arann Chief Executive Paul Schütz said “We are delighted to launch the second phase of our franchise operations with Aer Lingus in Shannon where we know there has been a strong demand for new UK direct services. We are providing a unique product that combines the best of both Aer Arann and Aer Lingus and offers both business and leisure passengers a quality service with excellent frequency”.

“In launching these routes we are responding to calls from the business and tourism sectors in the region and we plan to work with them to ensure the success of these routes and having achieved that to grow our presence in Shannon and to develop more new routes in the future”, he continued.  

Pictured at the announcement at Shannon Airport today were Alan Long (Base Manager Aer Lingus) Padraig O'Ceidigh (Chairman Aer Arann) and Paul Schutz (Chief Executive Aer Arann)

Also commenting on the announcement, Stephen Kavanagh, Chief Commercial Officer at Aer Lingus said Aer Lingus Regional services have enjoyed strong support from customers in the short time since their launch. Aer Lingus welcomes the introduction of these additional services from Shannon and wishes Aer Arann continued success.”

In welcoming the news on behalf of the Shannon Airport Authority, Airport Director Martin Moroney said “we are delighted to welcome the Aer Arann and Aer Lingus franchise to Shannon. These new services will provide essential UK regional connectivity to Shannon. The establishment of sustainable air-services is our top priority and in this regard the UK market is of very high importance. We wish Aer Lingus Regional every success in the future and look forward to working with their team in developing their business for all our benefit”.

Also present at the launch was Minister for Defence and Clare TD Mr. Tony Killeen who outlined the importance of the new services for the region: “I warmly welcome today’s announcement by Aer Arann, Aer Lingus and Shannon Airport Authority. This is a significant boost for Shannon and for the connectivity of the Mid-west region as a whole. It’s a real vote of confidence.

It opens new opportunities for business and makes the region more competitive and attractive for investment. Overall this is a very positive development and I congratulate everyone involved in Aer Arann, Aer Lingus and Shannon Airport Authority for making this happen”.  

Mayor of Clare Mr. Tony Mulcahy echoed this statement saying “We are delighted to welcome the Aer Arann and Aer Lingus franchise operation to Shannon. We are very appreciative of the announcement about the addition of four new routes today, which will help in driving long term sustainability in the region.

The county Board is hugely supportive of the routes and we look forward to a long and profitable association with both airlines going forward”.

Under the franchise agreement between the two airlines Aer Lingus Regional flights are operated by Aer Arann using its own ATR 72 aircraft and crew.  All franchise flights are sold and distributed through www.aerlingus.com. Aer Arann assumes full operational and commercial responsibility for the services covered by the franchise agreement with Aer Lingus receiving a franchise fee.

Pictured at the announcement at Shannon Airport today were Melanie Fitzgerald (Aer Arann senior cabin crew)Minister Tony Killeen (Minister for Defence) and Kerry Crozier(Aer Arann senior cabin crew)

Monday 31st May: As general booking opens for the 59^th Wexford Festival Opera, the internationally renowned Wexford Festival Opera and Waterford Airport, in conjunction with Aer Arann, announced a new strategic partnership as the Festival’s new Official Airport partner and Official Airline respectively. 

All set to hit the ‘High-notes’ are Opera-goer, Lisa Kavanagh pictured with Aer Arann Captain Francisco Rebollo and First Officer Niall McCauley at the announcement of a new strategic partnership with Waterford Airport and Aer Arann as the Festival’s new Official Airport Partner and Official Airline respectively.

Booking for the Festival opens to the public tomorrow Tuesday June 1 and this year travelling to Wexford from the UK could be more convenient than ever as Aer Arann announces a special discount for Festival goers. Patrons are advised to book their opera and airline tickets early as demand is expected to be very high. 

Aer Arann is delighted to offer Wexford Festival Opera goers 10% off the cost of their flights from London Luton, Manchester and Birmingham direct to Waterford Airport (located just 70 km from Wexford Town). When Festival Patrons arrive at Waterford Airport they will be met by a dedicated complimentary bus transfer to Wexford provided courtesy of Waterford Airport as part of this exciting new partnership. 

Wexford Festival Opera attracts more international visitors than any other major Irish cultural event, being Ireland’s leading cultural destination event and contributor to cultural tourism.  This new partnership is designed to make the journey to Wexford Festival Opera more convenient for their many UK visitors. 

Graham Doyle, CEO, Waterford Airport, said the partnership fits well with the facility’s role as a key piece of regional transport infrastructure in the southeast. “Now preparing for its 59^th year, Wexford Festival Opera is a hugely important and successful cultural and tourism event in the southeast. The tremendous work that has been done in Wexford over the decades has borne great fruit with a terrific festival that now has a multiple award-winning home that makes Wexford a great place to be in October. Waterford Airport is very pleased to facilitate visitors coming to Ireland for the festival with free bus transfers to/from Wexford. With road access having improved hugely thanks to the Waterford City Bypass and Outer Ring Road, we are now welcoming more in- and out-bound Wexford passengers than ever to Waterford Airport so this is the next natural step.” 

Commenting on the recent business partnership, Chief Executive of Wexford Festival Trust, David McLoughlin said, “Our aim this year was to make the upcoming Festival more accessible and better value for money than ever before with new patron services and a 60% increase in the number of performances and events compared to last year’s Festival.  A partnership with Waterford Airport in conjunction with Aer Arann is a key component in realising this ambition.  As a result of the partnership, once you step off the plane in Waterford, the Airport’s courtesy bus will transfer you directly to your accommodation and will also make arrangements for your return journey. In association with Waterford Airport and Aer Arann we are delighted to launch this travel initiative for international festival patrons.” 

Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly said “We are delighted to support the Wexford Festival Opera in bringing audiences and patrons from throughout the UK to the South East. We are committed to offering our customers direct, value for money connections to the regions, and together with Waterford Airport we look forward to welcoming our Wexford Festival Opera guests on board in the near future.” 

Wexford Festival Opera, will run over 15 days running from Saturday, October 16^th to Saturday, October 30, 2010.   The 59^th Festival will include 3 main operas Virginia, by Saverio Mercadante; the European Premiere of The Golden Ticket, by Peter Ash; and Bedřich Smetana’s Hubička (The Kiss).  Among the other highlights will be lunchtime recitals, Gala Concert, Prague Chamber Choir Recitals and daytime Shortworks performances. 

Aer Arann operates twice daily flights to London Luton, five times a week return flights to/from Manchester, four times weekly return flights to Birmingham and the 2010 summer route offers twice weekly return flights to Lorient in Brittany in France, all direct from Waterford Airport. 

The airline also recently announced that it will offer an additional flight from Waterford to London Luton four days a week from May 30 bringing the service to 18 return flights per week and will increase its Waterford to Galway service to six days per week from that date also, offering even more improved connections to passengers.  Book any Aer Arann flight from the UK to Waterford during the Wexford Festival Opera and you will receive a 10% discount. You have the choice of flights from London Luton, Manchester or Birmingham. Book online at www.aerarann.com/wexfordopera 

General booking for the 59^th Wexford Festival Opera opens on Tuesday, June 1 online at www.wexfordopera.com or telephone: Lo-call 1850-4-OPERA or (053) 912 2144.  Tickets from €25. No booking fee applies.

Operating every Saturday, with the introduction of a Tuesday flight from June 22^nd, the route offers holiday makers a convenient link with the stunning Brittany region of France, direct from Galway Airport.

Aer Arann senior cabin attendent Vicky Rogers welcomes Helen and Amy Fahy to the first Aer Arann flight of the season from Galway Airport to Lorient on Saturday.

Passengers departing for Lorient on Saturday were treated to a celebratory reception prior to departure as the airline and airport marked the inaugural flight of 2010.

Already proving popular with new and existing customers, flights with Aer Arann to Lorient start from €79 one way including taxes. Visit www.AerArann.com for further information and to make a booking.

Commenting on the inaugural flight Andrew Kelly, Corporate Affairs Director at Aer Arann said “We’re delighted to welcome both new and regular passengers on board our seasonal Lorient flight. The route has proved consistently popular over the years, not only outbound from the west and mid-west of Ireland but also outbound as we welcome our French neighbours to Ireland and show them all that Galway and surrounding regions have to offer”.

Michael Moloney, Marketing Manager at Galway Airport said “Lorient continues to grow in popularity and i have no doubt that we will add extra passengers onto the route this summer as people from the midlands now have easier and quicker access to the airport by using the new M6 motorway – it couldn’t be easier to get to us”.

Lorient, Brittany’s fourth largest city, is a gateway to one of France’s most outstanding regions. Brittany comprises rugged coastlines with some of the world’s most breathtaking views. It features more than 4,000 chateaux, manors and medieval homes and is an ideal destination for water sports enthusiasts, lovers of fine cuisine and seafood, and anyone fascinated by legends and history. Visit www.brittanytourism.com for further information.

Sunday 30th May: Summer officially arrived in Waterford on Saturday as Aer Arann’s Lorient route took to the skies for the first time this year.

Operating every Saturday, with the introduction of a Tuesday flight from June 22, the route offers holiday makers a convenient link with the stunning Brittany region of France, direct from Waterford Airport.

David and Alison Osborn with their children Emily and Mia, New Ross, Co. Wexford, were the first passengers to board Aer Arann's inaugural 2010 summer schedule flight from Waterford to Lorient, pictured with Allie Lomas at Waterford Airport.

Passengers departing for Lorient on Saturday were treated to a celebratory reception prior to departure as the airline and airport marked the inaugural flight of 2010.

Commenting at the first Lorient 2010 flight celebrations, Graham Doyle CEO at Waterford Airport said, “We’re very pleased that Aer Arann is flying to Lorient from Waterford again this summer. It has always been a well-liked destination and the commencement of the twice weekly route is particularly convenient for families taking their summer holidays both in France and inbound here in the sunny Southeast. It brings an exciting dimension to our services and further adds to the convenience we offer people throughout the Southeast.

Already proving popular with new and existing customers, flights with Aer Arann to Lorient start from €69 one way including taxes. Visit www.AerArann.com for further information and to make a booking.

Commenting on the inaugural flight Andrew Kelly, Corporate Affairs Director at Aer Arann said “We’re delighted to welcome both new and regular passengers on board our seasonal Lorient flight. The route has proved consistently popular over the years, not only outbound from the south east of Ireland but also outbound as we welcome our French neighbours to Ireland and show them all that Waterford and surrounding regions have to offer”.

Lorient, Brittany’s fourth largest city is a gateway to one of France’s most outstanding regions. Brittany comprises rugged coastlines with some of the world’s most breathtaking views. It features more than 4,000 chateaux, manors and medieval homes and is an ideal destination for water sports enthusiasts, lovers of fine cuisine and seafood, and anyone fascinated by legends and history. Visit www.brittanytourism.com for further information.

Thursday 20th May: Aer Arann’s Kerry – Manchester service has officially re-launched following its inaugural flight today.

Pictured at the launch of Aer Arann's Kerry-Manchester service is Karen McCarthy, Aer Arann, Basil Sheerin, Peter Moore, Liam Chute (Kerry Airport), Captain Declan O' Grady, Aer Arann, First Officer Isolde Daly, Aer Arann and Paul Schutz, Chief Executive, Aer Arann

Over 100 people helped to join in the celebrations at Kerry Airport this afternoon as both arriving and departing Aer Arann passengers toasted the return of the service at a dedicated champagne reception.

Aer Arann announced the return of the route in March this year and since then booking figures have been excellent indicating the demand for the service throughout the county.

Speaking at the dedicated launch at Kerry Airport today, Aer Arann Chief Executive Paul Schütz said “We are delighted to have our Kerry customers back on board with us from today. Initial support for the route has been excellent which we sincerely hope will continue.

As one of the UK’s largest international hubs Manchester is a gateway to the rest of the world and with this service we are offering passengers not only a direct link to the city itself but onwards connectivity to international destinations around the globe.

We look forward to re-building our presence in the south west region over the coming months” he added.

Also commenting at the launch, Basil Sheerin of Kerry Airport said: “We greatly welcome Aer Arann’s decision to re-introduce the air link between Kerry and Manchester, which has a proven record of being profitable with satisfactory passenger loads and revenue.

The new service has the potential to greatly increase tourism income for the county and it is another vote of confidence in both Kerry Airport and Kerry as a gateway. This will have a positive economic impact on a range of sectors in the Southwest region”.

Flights to Manchester from Kerry with Aer Arann start from €39 one way including taxes. Aer Arann offers all onward connecting passengers the same baggage allowance as their connecting carrier upon proof of full itinerary and baggage allowance at check in. For further information and to make a booking visit www.AerArann.com.

Wednesday 12^th May: It was a time to celebrate in Aer Arann recently as the airline welcomed new and returning employees to its team.

The airline held a dedicated ceremony presenting new cabin crew with their Wings, marking the completion of their training. In addition, the company also used the occasion to mark the promotion of several First Officers to Captains and to welcome back a group of First Officers who had previously worked with Aer Arann but are now returning as the airline expands its services once more.

Returning Aer Arann captains, first officers and recent new cabin crew recruits are pictured with Aer Arann Chief Executive Paul Schütz at a special ceremony recently welcoming new and returning employees to the airline.

As well as the recent launch of Aer Lingus Regional which is operated by Aer Arann crew and aircraft, the airline has also re-introduced its Kerry-Manchester service which will begin operating on May 20^th.

In addition, on May 30^th Aer Arann launches its summer schedule with twice weekly flights to Lorient from Waterford and Galway.

On that date the airline will also add increased frequency on flights to London Luton from Waterford, and increase its domestic Waterford-Galway service from two days per week to six days per week offering improved connectivity between the south east and west of Ireland.

Speaking at the ceremony, Aer Arann chief executive Paul Schütz said “We are delighted to welcome both new and returning crew to our team. It is a positive indication of growth for Aer Arann at a time of continuing difficulties for airlines, both as a result of the current economy and the situation with the Icelandic volcano that we are experiencing at present.

We look forward to getting to know the new members of our team as we plan for the future and the continuing growth of the airline” he added.

For further information on all Aer Arann services visit www.AerArann.com

Lorraine Doyle from Portmarnock is pictured with Aer Arann Chief Executive Paul Schütz after being presented with her wings at a dedicated ceremony recently, marking the completion of her cabin crew training

Monday 10^th May: Aer Arann customers in Galway are set to benefit from additional direct links to Waterford as the airline increases flights on this route from two days per week to six days per week from May 30^th.

The airline currently operates 18 flights per week from Galway to London Luton, 4 of which route via Waterford on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only.

Under the new schedule, 8 of Aer Arann’s Galway – London Luton flights will now route via Waterford offering a six day per week direct service to Waterford, excluding Saturdays.

All remaining 10 London Luton flights will continue to operate direct from Galway, including direct morning and evening flights on Mondays Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Flights to Waterford from Galway start from €29.99 one way including taxes, while flights to London Luton from Galway start from €59 one way including taxes.

Commenting on the new services Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly said “We recognised the demand by passengers in Galway for a regular connection with Waterford. With no motorway linking both cities, it can often mean a long and arduous car journey.

Once again Aer Arann is offering crucial links between the regions of Ireland, driving business and leisure tourism, as well making travel throughout the island of Ireland easy, accessible and convenient” he added.

Michael Moloney, Marketing Manager at Galway Airport said “This is a welcome addition to Aer Arann’s portfolio of services from Galway Airport. This domestic link not only opens up the south east to passengers from Galway and surrounding areas, but will also help to drive valuable business and leisure tourism in the west of Ireland”.

The additional Galway-Waterford services are on sale from Wednesday May 12^th. For further information, flight times and to make a booking visit www.AerArann.com

Monday 10^th May: Aer Arann customers in Waterford are set to enjoy greater flexibility and frequency from May 30^th with the introduction of additional London Luton and Galway flights.

The airline will offer an additional flight from Waterford to London Luton four days a week and the Waterford-Galway service will now operate every day except Saturday.

From May 30^th flights to London Luton from Waterford will be available three times daily on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. The regular double daily service will continue to operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Flights from Waterford to London Luton start from €59 one way including taxes.

Flights to Galway from Waterford which will increase to six days per week from May 30^th start from €29.99 one way including taxes.

Commenting on the new services Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly said “We recognised the demand by passengers in Waterford for an extra Luton service. In addition, we noticed the strong load factors on the Waterford –Galway flights currently in operation and responded accordingly by adding these additional services.

The London Luton service from Waterford is one of our busiest routes and therefore we anticipate that the increased frequency will perform well.  In addition, we believe that without a motorway, there is a need for a fast, accessible link between the south east and west of the country and we are filling that gap with these additional domestic services” he added.

Also commenting on the additional services Graham Doyle, Waterford Airport CEO said, “The move is big news for Waterford Airport, demonstrating the demand for additional services to London and to the west of Ireland.

As always we will be selling the concept of convenience for the people of the South East who can be at the airport in a very short period of time and can now avail of a service taking them to and from the West of Ireland in just 40 minutes six days per week and an option of eighteen return flights to London Luton per week”.

The new London Luton and Galway services are on sale from Wednesday May12th. For further information, flight times and to make a booking visit www.AerArann.com

30th April: 2010: Aer Arann regrets to announce that a plan to operate a new route to City of Derry Airport from Edinburgh has been suspended.

The new route was announced on March 1st and both the airport authorities and the airline expected it to perform well. Unfortunately, despite the perceived interest, bookings for the route have been very poor and the decision had to be taken to suspend the services.

All intending passengers who have booked on the routes will be contacted proactively by Aer Arann and they will receive full refunds.

The route was to begin on May 20th with 6 flights per week between City of Derry and Edinburgh. However forward bookings over the summer proved to be very weak, with flights over the first weeks of the service booked only to single digit load factors.

In making this announcement the airline pointed out that while current trends are for advance bookings to be low, with passengers increasingly booking flights closer to the departure date, the booking profile on the proposed new route was particularly weak even with fares as low as £36 one way including taxes.

“We sincerely regret suspending the route at this point but we must act in the overall interests of all of our customers and the airline”, said Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly.

“We looked at this route and we felt there was an opportunity based on reported demand, but that demand has not materialized and so we have made the decision not to start routes that show no signs of being anything but loss making. While unfortunate and regrettable it is the wisest decision to make in the long term interest of our customers and the financial performance of the airline”, he continued.

Aer Arann is happy to consider re-opening the route and other possible routes from Manchester in the future, perhaps when there is more recovery in the economy and when they can be deemed commercially viable.

Aer Arann services to Galway from Edinburgh continue to perform strongly and routes from Edinburgh to Dublin and Cork with Aer Lingus Regional, which began operating on March 28th are also performing well.

Aer Arann and Aer Lingus Regional customers in Edinburgh will continue to enjoy the same competitive fares and great value offered on these services.

23rd April: 2010: Aer Arann has announced changes to its baggage policy in response to customer feedback and passenger trends. These changes will come into effect for all bookings made from Tuesday 27th April 2010. There will be no change to bookings made before this date.

Currently Aer Arann allows a free baggage allowance of 15kgs per passenger and this is very popular on domestic routes where passengers tend to carry less baggage. However feedback from customers has been that the 15kgs allowance is low compared with the 20kgs industry standard on flights to the UK and France where passengers tend to spend more time away.

Aer Arann believes that passengers would prefer a full 20Kg allowance with one simple bag fee rather than a lower allowance and the potential for excess baggage charges on international routes. However the airline feels that domestic passengers are happy with a lower free allowance as trips away tend to be shorter.

From Tuesday April 27th Aer Arann baggage policy will be:

• All Flights – Cabin baggage allowance 7Kgs. FREE. Cabin bags must comply with size restrictions.

• Domestic Flights – Checked baggage allowance 15Kgs. FREE. Domestic flights include all flights within the island of Ireland
• UK and France Flights – Checked baggage allowance 20Kgs. New charge per bag €8 or £8 if booked online or through the Aer Arann call centre. Checked baggage booked on arrival at the departure airport will incur a fee of €12/£12 per bag per flight.
• Isle of Man / London City Route – Checked baggage allowance 20Kgs. FREE. No change to policy.
• Domestic Connecting Baggage – For domestic passengers connecting to or from international carriers, Aer Arann will continue to honour the baggage allowance of their connecting airline provided they present their onward itinerary at check-in. FREE.
• A fee of €7/£7 per kilo will be charged to all luggage exceeding the new luggage allowance on all flights. This is lower than the industry standard.

The change in Aer Arann’s baggage allowances follows a review of passenger demand which found that customers flying on UK and French routes were travelling for longer periods and requesting greater allowances for checked-in luggage. A 20kg allowance suits the passenger demographic on these routes and the necessary charge fee, although lower than that of many other airlines, is a standard industry norm for a 20kg allowance.

“We found that while passengers appreciated the free baggage allowance they wanted a larger 20Kgs allowance on international flights”, said Aer Arann Director of Corporate Affairs, Andrew Kelly. “Prior to this change in policy a passenger with a 20Kg bag would have been liable for excess baggage charges of €40 and actually received no benefit from our free baggage allowance. Under the new policy passengers can now carry the allowance of 20Kgs for one simple per bag charge of €8 or £8”.

“It was also clear to us that domestic passengers tend to be on shorter business trips or weekends away and the 15Kgs allowance was all they needed and so we have left this free baggage allowance in place. But for domestic passengers connecting, for example, from Galway to our flights of our partner airlines Aer Lingus or Etihad Airways from Dublin we will continue to match their full onward baggage allowance free of charge”, he continued.

Aer Arann customers will also continue to enjoy Aer Arann’s competitive fares and great value offerings included the following additional benefits:

• Free Airport Check In
• Free Online Check In
• Free Allocated Seating
• Domestic Fast Track access through departure security at Dublin airport
• Domestic Fast Track access through Passport control on arrival at Dublin Airport (exclusive to Aer Arann)

Information regarding Aer Arann Fees from April 27th:

Aer Arann also wishes to advise customers of changes to its terms & conditions in relation to fees and charges for flight bookings. From April 20th the following will apply:

• Changes to flight bookings including route changes, missed flights, time or date changes will be charged at €35/£35 or €50/£50 if the change is made at the departure airport
• Name changes will incur a fee of €100/£100
• Excess baggage fees will be charged at €7/£7 per kilo
• The carriage of pets will incur a fee of €30/£30 each way
• Infants (Children under 2 years of age) will be charged a set fare of €20 each way on all flights, all routes.
• Sports equipment (including bikes, golf bags, fishing rods etc) will be charged at €30/340 if booked in advance or €40/ £40 if booked at the departure airport
• Aer Arann Travel manager bookings will be charged €5/£5 per booking
• Passengers opting for SMS itineraries will be charged €1/£1 per SMS

Sunday 28th March: The first Aer Lingus Regional flights took to the air today as the franchise agreement between Ireland’s regional airline, Aer Arann, and the national carrier, Aer Lingus, began on 12 routes from Dublin and Cork.

Pictured at the inaugural Aer Lingus Regional flight, operated by Aer Arann, is Aer Lingus Chief Commercial Officer Stephen Kavanagh, and Aer Arann Chief Executive Paul Schütz. Also pictured is Aer Arann Captain Catriona Murphy.

Of the 12 routes, 6 will operate from Dublin to the UK, with the remaining 6 serving the UK and France from Cork. The new route network increases frequency on busy business and leisure services between Dublin and both Glasgow and Edinburgh, while also offering direct connectivity from a number of UK regions to Aer Lingus trans-Atlantic services.

Three of Aer Arann's ATR 72-500 Aircraft, branded in new Aer Lingus livery, line up at Dublin Airport in advance of the first departure of the Aer Lingus Regional service today.

There are also 3 new routes among the 12; Dublin to Doncaster-Sheffield; Dublin to Durham Tees Valley, and Cork to Glasgow International Airport. The remaining 9 routes are services that were previously operated by either Aer Arann or Aer Lingus.

Speaking at Dublin Airport today as the first Aer Lingus Regional flight departed Stephen Kavanagh, Aer Lingus Chief Commercial Officer said;

“The expanded route network will enable us to serve key UK regional destinations with improved frequency and schedule options, while providing connectivity with our transatlantic network.”

Also at Dublin Airport today for the first departures was Aer Arann Chief Executive Paul Schütz who welcomed the franchise agreement saying;

“With our franchise partner we have created a product that offers a customer-focussed schedule with increased frequency and both regional and trans-Atlantic connectivity. The additional flights on existing routes combined with new direct services linking regional centres in the UK with Ireland offers a significant boost to both business and the tourism industry at a time when it is badly needed.

Our combined brand power and quality products make it an excellent service for passengers and we look forward to welcoming both new and existing Aer Arann and Aer Lingus customers on board our flights from today”, he continued.

The Aer Lingus Regional service is operated by Aer Arann ATR 72-500 aircraft and crew. All franchise flights are sold and distributed through www.aerlingus.com.

The new agreement significantly increases Aer Lingus presence in the Ireland-UK market including services to Ireland from Bristol, Blackpool, Cardiff, Doncaster/Sheffield, Durham, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

In addition to the UK routes, new seasonal services from Cork to Jersey in the Channel Islands and La Rochelle in France will begin operating in May.

11th March: 2010: Two months since the massive January 12th earthquake that struck Port au Prince, killing an estimated 230,000 people and devastating the lives, homes and livelihoods of millions more, Irish people are still digging deep in their pockets to support the efforts of those who are working tirelessly to bring aid and relief to the people of Haiti.

More recently, Aer Arann customers raised over €16,000 for Concern’s Haiti Appeal following the airline’s in flight collection during February. The amount raised was overwhelming in such a short space of time, demonstrating how a little from many goes a very long way.

Richard Dixon, Head of Fundraising, Concern said “We are humbled by the phenomenal response that Concern has received to its Haiti earthquake appeal and we’d like to offer sincere thanks to Aer Arann and its passengers for their support. The road to recovery in Haiti is long but these funds are helping Concern provide immediate emergency supplies to people in Haiti.”

Andrew Kelly, Corporate Affairs Director, Aer Arann added “We would like to sincerely thank all of our fantastic customers and staff who donated to the Concern Haiti Appeal during our in-flight collection last month. We were truly amazed at the amount raised and are delighted to support Concern’s vital work in Haiti over the coming weeks and months.

Concern has more than doubled its team of 106 local staff in Haiti to 250 and has provided an additional 23 international Emergency Response staff, of which 14 are Irish, as part of its medium-term programme to provide ongoing relief and support to 150,000 people within six months of the disaster.

The organisation has identified seven key areas on which it will focus as part of its six-month programme to provide ONGOING relief and support to the following:

• Shelter and non-food items to 30,000 people.
• Access to clean water and sanitation for 50,000 people with a capacity of 135,000 litres per day.
• The prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition from specialised locations targeting 2,500 children under one-year of age and almost 2,000 under-5s.
• Cash transfers to facilitate recovery to 10,000 women and cash-for-work programmes reaching 10,000 men.
• Psycho-social support to those affected by the consequences of the quake, including trauma and bereavement counselling, and conflict management, an area Concern in which Concern had been engaged with local partners for some time in Haiti.
• Primary education to 18,000 children.
• Targeted Food distribution to under 5s working with World Food Programme targeting 9,870 people.
• Camp management for 120,000 people.
See Concern’s Work in Action at: http://www.concern.net/blogs/haiti-earthquake-coverage

1st March 2010: Aer Arann has announced a significant expansion to its network with the launch of four new routes going on sale today to the UK direct from regional Irish airports.

In Kerry, Aer Arann is re-introducing its Manchester link, operating four days per week from May 20th. The move sees the return of Aer Arann to Kerry Airport to due to popular demand.

 The airline has also launched two new services from City of Derry to Manchester and Edinburgh, both also due to begin operating from May 20th. The Manchester service will operate seven days per while the Edinburgh service will operate six days per week. In addition, the current City of Derry-Dublin service will now operate at the earlier time of 7.40am arriving in Dublin at 8.30am offering significantly better onward connecting options for passengers as well as earlier access to the city.

 In Donegal, the current Glasgow Prestwick service has been replaced by a direct service to Glasgow Airport, again to facilitate customer demand. Glasgow Airport is just 7 miles from the city and flights will begin operating from March 28th.

 Welcoming the new routes, Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly said: “We are delighted to introduce these new and returning links to Scotland and the North of England direct from regional airports in the North and South of the country. The routes are proof of our commitment to serving these regions as well as a sign of our growth in the Irish and UK markets. We have listened to our customers and responded to their needs and we look forward to welcoming both these existing and new passengers on our services in the coming months”.

 This is the latest development for Aer Arann following the recent announcement that the airline has signed a franchise agreement with Aer Lingus to operate 12 routes between Ireland and the UK under the brand “Aer Lingus Regional”. The airline has also announced new services from Kerry to Manchester and from Donegal to Glasgow.

 All new UK fares are now on sale from €39 one way including taxes. For further details on schedule times, great value special offers and to make a booking visit www.AerArann.com.

23rd February 2010: Aer Arann has launched a new direct service from Donegal Airport to Glasgow Airport.

 The service will replace the airline’s current Donegal to Glasgow-Prestwick route and will operate four days per week, up from the current three-times weekly service. Flights are on sale now with fares starting from €39 one way including taxes. The service will begin operating on March 28th.

 Glasgow Airport is situated just eight miles west of Glasgow City offering passengers convenient access to both the city centre and surrounding destinations, and a recently announced £25 million investment will enhance the passenger experience at the airport.

 Donegal Airport opens up the North-West of Ireland for the leisure and business traveller. Located at Carrickfinn, Kincasslagh, the airport is approximately 15 minutes drive from Dungloe and Gweedore, 45 mins from Letterkenny and 1 hour from Donegal Town. Donegal Airport is situated on the west coast in the area of the Rosses/Gweedore, just 50 minutes flying time from Glasgow Airport.

 Welcoming the new service Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly said: “We are committed to offering our customers in Donegal and surrounding areas regional connectivity and direct access to major international hubs. With the direct route to Glasgow Airport we are responding to popular customer demand and we look forward to welcoming both new and existing passengers on this route in the coming weeks”.

 Donegal Airport’s Managing Director, Anne Bonner also welcomed the news remarking that she was “delighted with Aer Arann’s decision to move to Glasgow Airport and particularly with the decision to expand the frequency to four days year round. While Prestwick-Donegal is very well supported, many of our regulars have issues with the surface transport connections. Glasgow has a much wider catchment area and we will be looking forward to seeing some familiar faces coming through. The first Glasgow -Donegal route started in 1986”.

 Amanda McMillan, Managing Director of Glasgow Airport, said: “This is fantastic news from Aer Arann as the Irish market is hugely important for Scottish business and tourism.

 ”This new link to the bustling and beautiful county of Donegal, following the news that Aer Arann and Aer Lingus are joining forces to offer enhanced services to Cork and Dublin, highlights the strong demand for increased air travel between Scotland and Ireland.

 ”This is good news for business and tourism on both sides of the Irish Sea, and underlines our determination to improve connectivity between our two countries. We are pleased to welcome Aer Arann to Glasgow’s airport, and look forward to working with them to enhance air links between Scotland and Ireland.”

 Scott Taylor, Chief Executive of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, added: “The new service from Donegal has a clear fit with friends and family hopping between Donegal and Glasgow, and with events like the World Irish Dancing championships taking place in the city this year, it’s a perfect opportunity to bring the whole family to experience a major event celebrating the cultural links between the Celts.

 ”In addition, with such a strong sporting, retail and night life on offer in Glasgow, we look forward to welcoming 2,500 tourists spending £350,000 in the city in the forthcoming year.”

 This is the latest development for Aer Arann following the recent announcement that the airline has signed a franchise agreement with Aer Lingus to operate 12 routes between Ireland and the UK under the brand “Aer Lingus Regional”.

For further details on schedule times, great value special offers and to make a booking visit www.AerArann.com.

 18th February 2010: Kathleen Tarpey, from Kiltimagh has been announced as the lucky winner of the Aer Arann/Western People Name an Aircraft competition.

Pictured alongside the chosen aircraft name Muire is competition winner Kathleen Tarpey from Kiltimagh. Also pictured is Aer Arann Captain Paul Beare and Cabin attendant Shauna Ebbs.

 When Aer Arann decided to christen its entire fleet of aircraft it called on local people in towns and cities throughout the country to do the honours and name the aircraft for them. Entrants were asked to choose a name that they felt reflected Aer Arann and, in this case, Knock and Ireland-West airport, in the best possible way.

Ms. Tarpey chose the name Muire, which is the Irish translation of Mary, Our Lady. The name represents both symbolic and physical features in the area from the shrine of Our Lady of Knock to Chnoc Mhuire the Irish translation of the town of Knock where Ireland West airport is located. The judges felt that this representation along with the strong Irish roots in which Aer Arann is embedded, made the name Muire the perfect choice of name for a local aircraft.

Both the winning name and the local meaning of that name are now featured on one of Aer Arann’s ATR type aircraft and can regularly be seen by passengers as it passes through Ireland-West airport.

Ms. Tarpey was given the opportunity to see her chosen name up close on the Aer Arann aircraft at a dedicated photoshoot this week to mark the occasion.

Aer Arann offers daily flights direct from Ireland-West Airport to Dublin.

Check out www.AerArann.com. for all further information on Aer Arann routes and services including free airport check in, free baggage allowance up to 15kg, free online check in for carry on luggage and more!

Monday February 1st 2010: Aer Arann has marked the first birthday of its Isle of Man-London City service.  

Pictured at the first birthday celebration of Aer Arann’s Isle of Man – London City service at Ronaldsway airport were Brian Johnson, Civil Aviation Director; Minister for Transport David Andersson, Kerry Crozier, Aer Arann, Carol Kelly, Aer Arann, Andrew Kelly, Corporate Affairs Director, Aer Arann and Steve Dawson, department of Tourism.

Since its launch the route has provided a crucial business and leisure link between the Isle of Man and the UK capital; in particular connecting the two financial service centres on the Island and in the City.  

The airline made history a year ago by becoming the first airline to become certified to operate the ATR 72-500 series aircraft into London City Airport having worked with the CAA, ATR and London City airport to obtain the required steep approach certification for the modern, quiet and environmentally friendly turbo prop.  

Commenting on the anniversary, Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly said “We are delighted with the success of the Isle of Man – London City route in its first year. It is a quality service offering business and leisure customers a convenient, friendly and most importantly a value for money service”.  

“In order to operate the route we had to adapt our business model and our success in doing this is reflected in the fact that we carried 60,000 passengers in our first year. We now have 30% of the total Isle of Man to London market” he added.  

“We look forward to welcoming new and existing passengers on board our flights in the year ahead and to making this one of the busiest and most successful routes in our network,” he concluded.  

The Isle of Man – London City route has offered excellent access opportunities for the business community and also very convenient travel times for leisure travellers. Aer Arann regards it as an example of the airline’s commitment to regional air travel and its focus on building business by offering critical links and access to major centres from regional airports.  

As well as its London City service, the airline also operates a daily service from the Isle of Man to Dublin offering access to its Irish domestic network and connectivity to major international destinations. It recently introduced an Isle of Man – Paris rotation which will operate weekly throughout February 2010. For further information visit www.AerArann.com 

31st January 2010: Racing fans can now fly direct to Cheltenham in fewer furlongs with Aer Arann’s dedicated day return flights to Gloucester airport, located just six miles from the racecourse.

 The flights are available for the 16th , 17th , 18th and 19th March 2010 from €149* return including taxes.

Flights depart Dublin airport at 9.15am each morning returning from Gloucester airport at 8pm that evening. So whether you’re an avid racer planning to travel for the four days or you simply want to catch a day return flight over and back you now have the option!

For even greater convenience and flexibility Aer Arann is also allowing passenger name changes up to 24 hours before departure FREE of charge.

Commenting on the new Cheltenham flight service, Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly said “Cheltenham is one of the biggest dates on the Irish and UK racing calendars. Each year Irish people flock to the racecourse to join in the action and next year will be no different. We recognised the demand for a day return flight option and adjusted our services to meet consumer needs accordingly.

As well as value for money and convenience Aer Arann customers enjoy the benefits of free checked luggage and hand luggage, online or airport check in, shorter check in times and allocated seating, all free of charge.

To make a booking or for further information on all Aer Arann destinations, great value fares and flight times vis it www.AerArann.com . Alternatively, customers can call the Aer Arann reservations centre on 0818 210 210. For add it ional information vis it www.gloucestershireairport.co.uk .

Please note: * Flight fares do not include airport transfer or racecourse entry.

Tuesday January 26th 2010: Aer Arann and Aer Lingus have today announced that agreement has been reached to establish a franchise arrangement between the two airlines.

 Under this franchise agreement Aer Arann will operate 12 routes from Dublin and Cork . The routes will include current Aer Lingus and Aer Arann routes as well as 3 new routes.

These franchise services will be branded as “Aer Lingus Regional” and operated using Aer Arann ATR 72-500 aircraft and crew. All franchise flights will be sold and distributed through www.aerlingus.com . Aer Arann will assume full operational and commercial responsibility for the services covered by the franchise agreement with Aer Lingus receiving a franchise fee in recognition for providing its brand and product suite to Aer Arann.

The new agreement significantly increases Aer Lingus presence in the Ireland-UK market with new services to Ireland from Bristol , Blackpool, Cardiff , Doncaster/Sheffield, Durham , Glasgow and Edinburgh in addition to new seasonal services from Cork to Jersey in the Channel Islands and La Rochelle in France.

Welcoming the new agreement Aer Lingus Chief Executive Mr. Christoph Mueller said

“This franchise agreement is good news for all stakeholders in Aer Lingus as it will allow us to serve key regional destinations, linking them with our Dublin transatlantic network as well as offering our business and leisure customers improved schedule and frequency options.”

Aer Arann Chief Executive Mr. Paul Schütz also welcomed the agreement calling it “a major development for Irish aviation and the tourism industry. The combined strengths of both airlines, including brand power and market presence, will allow us to offer a quality customer product that meets the capacity requirements of existing and new routes.

Aer Arann is a leading regional airline that is wholly-owned by its Chairman, Padraig O’Ceidigh. In addition to operating routes for Aer Lingus Regional the airline will continue to operate under its own Aer Arann brand on routes within Ireland , from Ireland to the UK and France and from the Isle of Man to London and Paris .

Aer Arann Media Contacts:

Notes to the editor

The following routes and frequencies will be covered by this franchise agreement.

• The Dublin-Glasgow route will increase to up to four roundtrips per day
• The Dublin-Edinburgh route will see an Aer Lingus daily service supplemented by two Aer Arann round-trip services, one in the morning and one in the evening.
• Dublin to Cardiff – 3 Daily roundtrips
• Dublin to Blackpool – Daily service
• Dublin to Doncaster/Sheffield – Daily service
• Dublin to Durham Tees Valley – 6 roundtrips per week.
• A new service will be launched from Cork to Glasgow with six roundtrip services per week (excluding Tuesdays).
• Cork to Bristol – 6 roundtrips per week
• Cork to Edinburgh – 11 roundtrips per week
• Cork to Cardiff – Daily service
• Cork to La Rochelle – 2 weekly
• Cork Jersey – 2 weekly

Passengers who hold existing bookings on any of the services covered by this agreement will have their bookings amended and new travel documents will be issued without charge. Aer Arann will proactively contact each passenger with information on changes to their flight bookings

Aer Arann will continue to operate its own route network including flights between:

• Dublin and City of Derry , Donegal, Sligo , Ireland West Knock, Galway, Cork and the Isle of Man
• Galway and London Luton, Manchester , Edinburgh , Dublin and Lorient
• Waterford and London Luton, Manchester , Birmingham , Galway and Lorient
• Cork and Dublin and Belfast
• Donegal and Glasgow and Dublin

25th January  2010: A glimpse of summer sunshine has appeared in Waterford with the news that Aer Arann’s popular Lorient route has returned for summer 2010.

Taking off on May 29th and operating until August 28th, the route offers easy, direct access from Waterford and surrounding counties to Lorient, the gateway to the stunning Brittany region of France.

Flights from Waterford to Lorient start from €69 one way including taxes and are on sale now at www.AerArann.com

Andrew Kelly, Corporate Affairs Director at Aer Arann said “Following the success of the service in 2009 we are delighted to once again offer the south east this convenient link to France and all it has to offer. We look forward to welcoming both regular and new passengers onboard this service from May 30th”.

Graham Doyle, Chief Executive, Waterford Airport, said: “We’re delighted that Aer Arann is flying to Lorient from Waterford again this summer. It has proven a very popular link to and from the southeast. It will bring an exciting dimension to our services and further add to the convenience we offer to passengers throughout this region.”

The flights will operate ever Saturday from May 29th with a second daily rotation beginning every Tuesday from June 22nd.

So beat the January blues and get booking your summer break today. For further information on flight departure times, special offers and bookings, visit www.AerArann.com or contact Aer Arann reservations on 0818 210 210.

20th January 2010: Aer Arann has been advised by the Irish Aviation Authority that flights at all Irish airports will be disrupted due to a dispute between the Authority and its air traffic controllers.

At the moment flight disruptions will occur during the afternoon of Wednesday 20th January between 2pm and 6pm with follow-on delays to flight arrivals and departures.

Disruptions caused by the air traffic control dispute are entirely outside the control of Aer Arann and will impact all airlines flying to and from Ireland. The Irish Aviation Authority controls Irish airspace and as such all flights, including those to and from regional airports are subject to disruption.

At the moment only 5 flights have been cancelled:

RE 623 Dublin – Cork
RE 624 Cork – Dublin
RE 207 Dublin – Donegal
RE 206 Donegal – Dublin
RE 234 Galway – Dublin

Delays are expected on a further fifteen flights:

RE 377 Dublin – Isle of Man
RE 378 Isle of Man – Dublin
RE 315 Dublin – Cardiff
RE 316 Cardiff – Dublin
RE 287 Dublin – City of Derry
RE 288 City of Derry – Dublin
RE 217 Dublin – Sligo
RE 218 Sligo – Dublin
RE 209 Dublin – Donegal
RE 236 Galway – Dublin
RE 516 Manchester – Galway
RE 507 Galway / Waterford – London Luton
RE 508 London Luton – Waterford/Galway
RE 237 Dublin – Galway
RE 227 Dublin – Ireland West Knock

Passengers due to travel on Aer Arann flights today are asked to visit www.AerArann.com for updated information on flight disruptions. Alternatively, customers can contact Aer Arann customer relations on one of the following numbers:

Ireland: 08 18 210 210

UK: 0870 876 76 76

Passengers on Aer Arann flights today, 20th January, not listed in this media statement or on www.AerArann.com are advised to check-in as normal for an on-time departure.

For further information please contact

Gina Kelly

Media & Communications manager

Aer Arann

Gina.kelly@aerarann.com

+353 86 7805451

19th January  2010: A glimpse of summer sunshine has appeared in Galway with the news that Aer Arann’s popular Lorient route has returned for 2010.

Taking off on May 29th and operating until August 28th, the route offers easy, direct access from Galway and surrounding counties to Lorient , the gateway to the stunning Brittany region of France and also twin to the City of Tribes.

Flights from Galway to Lorient start from €79 one way including taxes and are on sale now at www.AerArann.com

Andrew Kelly , Corporate Affairs Director at Aer Arann said “Following the success of the service in 2009 we are delighted to once again offer Galway and its surrounding counties this convenient direct link to France and all it has to offer. We look forward to welcoming both regular and new passengers onboard this service from May 30th” .

Michael Moloney, Marketing Manager at Galway Airport said “ Lorient continues to grow in popularity and I have no doubt that we will add extra passengers onto the route this summer as people from the Midlands now have easier and quicker access to the airport by using the new M6 motorway – it couldn’t be easier to get to us”.

Flights from Galway to Lorient will operate every Saturday from May 29th with a second daily return flight beginning every Tuesday from June 22nd .

So beat the January blues and get booking your summer break to Lorient today. For further information on flight departure times, special offers and to make a booking, visit www.AerArann.com or contact Aer Arann reservations on 0818 210 210.