Irish Travel Trade News is sad to report the death of Austin Sherlock, formerly of Aer Lingus and a good friend to the travel trade in Ireland, on 2ndNovember 2012 at the Hermitage Medical Clinic in Dublin.
Austin began his career in the accounts department of Aer Lingus from where he moved to Birmingham as a sales representative. While stationed in Birmingham, he met a young lady by the name of Anne, whom he married and then returned back to Ireland.
On his return, Austin was given the role of generating student business for the airline. In the 1980s, before the arrival of the Internet, students wishing to travel on a J1 Visa to the USA had to go to USIT or GET (Group & Educational) to obtain one. His focus became exclusively negotiating with USIT and GET. When the students had returned and the dust had settled, Austin would start negotiations all over again with Delma Campbell in USIT and Paddy Monaghan in GET, setting allocations and rates for the following year. It was big business for the agencies and Aer Lingus in those days.
Austin was well known in the travel trade when he served on the committee and became President of the Dublin Travel Trade Club. He was known for his wit and polished accent as well as his enthusiasm for whatever task he was given. Another of his specialities was writing witty poems to mark birthdays, anniversaries and retirements of friends and colleagues in Aer Lingus. On one famous occasion, while acting as quizmaster for the DTTC, he stoically continued in his inimitable fashion while being slagged and heckled in fun from the floor.
When Austin retired he and Anne spent most of their time in their home in Spain. Unfortunately, Anne passed away in June 2009 following a short illness after contracting a virus while in Spain.
Austin is survived by his daughters Caroline and Suzanne.
May he rest in peace.
TB
