The chief executive of Aer Lingus, Dermot Mannion, has said he does not expect the airline will change its position on the ending of its Shannon-to-Heathrow service despite pressure from politicians, business interests, church leaders and trade unionists.
Mr Mannion and Aer Lingus chairman John Sharman will go to Shannon this week to explain the decision and to set out the airline's future commitment to the region.
However, in an RTÉ interview yesterday, Mr Mannion said: "If the question is, 'Can the decision be changed at this stage?', the answer is no."
And a Government spokesman yesterday again pointed to the comments of Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey on Friday that the airline had made a commercial decision and he would not be intervening.
Minster for Defence Willie O'Dea, who strongly criticised the Aer Lingus decision last week, declined to comment yesterday. He is due to meet business groups, including Shannon Development, on the issue in the coming days.
Shannon Airport Authority has offered Aer Lingus reductions in charges. However, in the interview with RTÉ Radio's This Week, Mr Mannion said: "We have thought long and hard, considered all of the issues. We shall see what comes up with authorities at Shannon.
"My view is all relevant issues on a commercial basis have been considered."
The company was not planning to hold a discussion with its other shareholders on the issue, and claims by groups in the Shannon area on the potential impact of the closure of the route had been "exaggerated", he said.
Meanwhile, Dublin-based airline CityJet said it would consider launching routes from Shannon to London City and Charles De Gaulle (CDG) in Paris if a suitable package of incentives was offered.
Geoffrey O'Byrne White, CityJet's chief executive, said: "We'll certainly sit down and talk to Shannon and see what's available. Having said that, we'll have to do our sums and we'd have to be satisfied there's a demand from the business community."
CityJet is wholly owned by Air France, the biggest operator from CDG. Launching a route to Paris would offer passengers the opportunity to link in to Air France's long-haul network.
Mr Mannion said the Heathrow decision had been taken by Aer Lingus management and the company's board had been briefed in recent weeks.
Mr Mannion said the Minister had expressed his disappointment when informed.
Pressed on whether he had come under political pressure, the Aer Lingus chief said that the Minister had said what he had said on Friday. "I can't comment further."
Last night, Siptu called on the Government to explore with the British government and the Northern Executive the provision of additional slots at Heathrow to serve the Belfast route.
Siptu general secretary Joe O'Flynn said: "The decision to open a new service from Belfast to Heathrow by Aer Lingus was as much a political issue as a commercial one and the political consequences need to be addressed as fully as the economic ones."
It emerged last night that seven local authorities in the west have said that they would support and, if necessary, participate in the proposed legal action aimed at rescinding the Aer Lingus decision.
Separately yesterday church leaders in the midwest appealed to the Government, shareholders and the board of Aer Lingus to reverse its decision.
