Aer Arann to recommence services from Shannon
Aer Arann is expected tomorrow to announce that it is to restart services from Shannon. In the recent past Aer Arann operated a Shannon – Dublin service which was hampered by timings which prevented day trips in either direction. Tomorrow’s announcement by Aer Aran is expected to announce that the carrier is to commence services from Shannon to Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow, all of which have been served in the past by Ryanair, but none of which figure in Ryanair’s current schedules from Shannon.
If the Ryanair business model has a flaw (from the consumer point of view) it is that the carrier relies totally on one aircraft type. The frequency of service on any particular route is therefore dictated by how often the airline can fill an aircraft. This model may be suitable for leisure travellers who can vary their travel plans to suit the airline’s schedules but for the business community which needs an airline which matches its needs, the like of Ryanair is quite often a compromise when it comes to timings, especially when a route is not served on a daily basis.
Thinner routes need lower capacity aircraft which can serve routes on a higher frequency and thus better serve the needs of the indigenous business community. The economic well being of the mid western region of Ireland is highly dependent on connectivity with the UK and hopefully Aer Arann’s new services will be well supported by local businesses which in the past have been highly vocal when that vital connectivity has been threatened.