Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 12 February 2015

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications

Proposed Sale of Aer Lingus: (Resumed) IAG

2:00 pm

Mr. Willie Walsh:

It would make Aer Lingus more efficient, and anything that does that would make the possibilities for Aer Lingus operating routes more attractive and potentially more viable. We want to grow the business. We do not want to buy a business and shrink it. There would be no sense in it. We are paying a very healthy premium to acquire a business because we believe we can grow it. Our objective will be to grow the business wherever we can, and whether it is in Cork, Shannon or Dublin, I will be delighted. I have no bias or preference of one over the other. DAA and Aer Lingus are working together to develop Dublin as a hub and have been very successful. It represents a great opportunity. It does not mean we are not seeking opportunities for Aer Lingus to grow at Shannon, Knock, Cork and anywhere else. If Aer Lingus is part of IAG, Aer Lingus will be a more efficient company because it can tap into all the benefits of the scale we would give.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.