Aer Arann is pulling out of Waterford on decline in passengers

AER Arann is pulling out of Waterford, claiming there isn't enough business to sustain a presence.

The airline, operating as Aer Lingus Regional, ran the daily routes from the south-east airport to London Southend, Luton and Manchester.

Services will end on January 6. Aer Arann interim chief executive Sean Brogan said the company was in the process of finalising a new business plan that would put it back on a path to growth.

“We have worked hard to overcome recent challenges, built a successful new partnership with Aer Lingus and grown our passenger numbers,” Mr Brogan said.

“If we are to protect and nurture these gains, we have got to concentrate resources on services that offer sustainable returns,” he added. “Over recent months, the airline has conducted a network-wide evaluation of all routes. It was clear from this evaluation that our Waterford routes have not performed to a sustainable level.”

Redeployed

All Aer Arann employees at the airport will be redeployed within the company.

It said the airline would continue to offer services to London Southend from Dublin Airport and to Manchester from Cork and Shannon airports.

Mr Brogan said the move was regrettable but necessary.

‘We sincerely regret the impact that this decision has on our customers,” he said.

“We do not rule out returning to Waterford at some point in the future if the business case can be justified.”

Meanwhile, transatlantic passenger traffic from Shannon will be boosted by a further 30,000 next summer following confirmation that US Airways is set to make a return. The airline will resume services on the Shannon to Philadelphia route, which it successfully operated for several years before withdrawing in 2009.