Irish airlines could suffer a fatal blow if they lose out on a second consecutive summer season, after a year of almost zero revenue and inadequate financial support from the Government, the Irish Airline Pilots Association has said.
IALPA President Captain Evan Cullen made his comments as he addressed the Oireachtas Transport Committee. Captain Cullen cited recent comments by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar warning that international travel was unlikely to reopen until sometime in the future, but certainly not for the summer.
Captain Cullen, who represents 1,200 Irish based pilots, noted that Irish airlines rely on summer bookings to make enough money to tide them over the loss-making winter season. "The loss of a second consecutive summer season