World Airlines to bypass Shannon!
national |
miscellaneous |
news report 
Tuesday February 04, 2003 20:14
by Fintan Lane - Cork Peace Alliance
It has just been announced on RTE that World Airlines (the main transporter of US troops through Shannon) is to dramatically reduce their visits to Shannon Airport - as a direct result of recent anti-war protests! It seems that a diversity of tactics is beginning to have a real impact. Next stop: Dublin, 15 February.
Comments (11 of 11)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11I know that you hippie protesters only know
about work by what you've read in a dictionary,
but there are many people who do actually work
for a living in this country, who risk losing
their jobs because of your recent acts of pure
vandalism. But, you lot won't care, because you'll
be busy protesting about something else at that
stage.
I notice that a lot of the people involved in
the protests are non-nationals and hope that they
will be kicked out of this country for their acts.
I for one am certainly not paying taxes to feed and house these worthless creatures.
Robert Fahy
Thanks for your views Robert. Unfortunately, you're wrong, misinformed, or mistaken on virtually every point.
for reducing these destructive forces coming on to our shores.
... who is not now, nor has ever been, a hippie, it seems to me that losing your job in Ireland is less severe a penalty than losing your life in Iraq.
bjg
They wont need to stop the flights now that the peace camp has been frightened off by military force.
Just because the so called peace camp occupants were mostly jobless wasters, does not mean that they have a right to deny other Irish citzens a job. Lots of things are wrong in this country, but it does not give you the right to commit criminal damage. Who will be the next target? Mc Donalds in Cork City???? According to your logic you would be a great here altogether if you smashed a few of their windows. Grow up and cop on to yourself.
There are many ways of damaging things. Smashing windows, and nose-wheels, is only one of them.
"Yet each man kills the thing he loves,
By each let this be heard,
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word.
The coward does it with a kiss,
The brave man with a sword!"
bjg
robert: but there are many people who do actually work
for a living in this country, who risk losing
their jobs because of your recent acts of pure
vandalism.
Just taking this one issue out of roberts dire tribe !
We need HARD information on the economic value of the stop overs
For instance this morning Today fms political coresspondant said it was 9 million euros last year
(if thats 40% then the ENTIRE air port is doing 42 million euros only !!)
In an interview with Kathy Sheridan in the Irish Times week end section Jan 18 th an Aer Rianta bod said 1% of business in the air port
I always thought these figures seemed very, very low
on the other hand the sudden discovery of the 40% seems ridiculously high!
Any one know could freedom opf information be used to get FACTS on the economic arguement
As to Robert's general argument - workers in the air port THEMSELVES have approached their union (the spineless SIPTU unfortunately) to ask about action. IF WE CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD THIS MOVEMENT WE MAY SEE IT. World Air ways or out we smelly, unemployed, mutant, hippy freakazoids are winning - more power to yeese !!
Conor
If "World" Airlines (the ones that sometimes use Aer Lingus colours) can pull out of Shannon why don't all the other military carriers follow?
Tony Killeen TD said jobs are threatened at Shannon by the peace protestors. RUBBISH. For one thing there is ABSOLUTELY NO THREAT to ordinary civil aviation. There is no threat of violence to ANYONE - (except that offered by George Bush).
Do you realise that the US and its allies caused a massive wave of job losses across Eastern Europe at the end of the Second world war by shutting down the concentration and extermination camps. Think of all those poor SS boys out of work, and what about the cleaning and construction staff? I mean who could be so naive as to think that principles (like opposition to mass murder) could possible be more important than JOBS.
More will follow, I'm just going to go out and get fucked up the ass by Bill Gates in the hope that Microsoft will stay around with their JOBS!
The decision by world airways to TEMPORARILY reroute military personnel ferry flights through fFrankfurt was taken before any of last weeks cations at Shannon. Rumours of this action surfaced amongst airport staff nearly two weeks ago, with official confirmation coming a week ago and public awareness of the sanction was being raised over the past week to highlight the economic punishments we may face if Bertie & Co. can't keep the military machine moving.
It should be remembered that unlike most US employers in the region, World Airways is utterly dependent on the US military for business.
Most US business interests in Ireland are unkely to participate in a sanctions regime against Ireland.
Such a response would be more threatening to their profits in Europe than US military outrage at being denied a base in Ireland would be at home.
Finally, on the refueling profits issue, Aer Rianta reports ought to be freely available as a semi-state company but a possible reading would be that fuel provides ~40% of turnover at Shannon but only contributes ~1% to Aer Rianta profits.
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