Following the release of IAG’s full-year results to the markets, Aer Lingus Chief Executive Sean Doyle issued this commentary.
“Aer Lingus began 2019 a step closer to our goal of being the leading value carrier across the North Atlantic with the unveiling of our brand refresh in January – bringing a new look to a contemporary, international, value-driven and guest-focused airline. This builds on successful growth in 2018 and demonstrates our commitment to deliver greater connectivity combined with excellent service across more North American routes than ever before.
“Our ambition for the future is underpinned by a profitable, sustainable short-haul network supported by our guest-focused brand and digitally-enabled value proposition. Today’s results demonstrate our ability to grow profitably and sustainably. Our model has delivered growth in our business, boosted traffic, created new jobs and driven tourism growth, particularly from North America over the past number of years.
“The results are underpinned by the company’s focus on cost efficiency and productivity. Value for money is at the heart of our business and continuing our focus on cost efficiency and productivity enables us to offer that value for money to our guests. We will therefore continue to challenge ourselves to identify opportunities to improve our competitiveness. The challenges being experienced in the wider industry underscore the imperative to focus on improved competitiveness.
“With a record 2.59 million seats between Ireland and North America in 2019, we have almost doubled our North American transatlantic capacity from Dublin over the past five years. Growth at Aer Lingus has had a very positive impact on the wider Irish economy through tourism, with more North American visitors coming to Ireland, bringing over €1.5 billion into the country (source Failte Ireland 2013-17).
“We continue to invest in new aircraft to underpin our expansion and, of course, in our people, with hundreds of new cabin crew, pilot and ground positions created to keep pace with new aircraft and new routes.
“In January we revealed a contemporary, refreshed Aer Lingus brand, befitting an international airline. Aligned with all of our recent product and guest experience enhancements: the new Aer Lingus Business Class; wi-fi on our A330 transatlantic fleet; our new website and mobile app; automated check-in and bag drop experience at Dublin Airport, to name just a few, we believe we have created a brand refresh that actively boosts our ambition to be the leading value carrier to North America.”
