Mr. Stephen Kavanagh:

We are in business to sustain profitability in the airline business and profitability is assisted by growth. There is a natural demand for services between Shannon and North America and the best way to serve that part of the world is directly. If Aer Lingus decided to exit the Shannon-New York service or tried to redirect traffic through Heathrow with British Airways, it would be difficult as it is an intensely competitive marketplace. Both of the other main, immunised joint venture transatlantic service providers are represented in Shannon, one of which is United Airlines.