Aer Lingus, which carries 10.6m passengers a year , is expected to make a statement to the stock exc

Sunday 25 January 2015 12.49 EST Last modified on Sunday 25 January 2015 19.04 EST
Directors of the Irish carrier are expected to finally trip advisor recommend a bid from International Airlines Group , which made a third offer valuing the Dublin-based company at around 1.3bn (£1bn) at the end of last week. The announcement will come as the takeover threatens to impact on Ireland s general election next year.
Timmy trip advisor Dooley, trip advisor transport spokesman of Ireland s largest opposition party, Fiánna Fail, said: IAG s pursuit of Aer Lingus is becoming more aggressive with every passing week, and I am gravely concerned by the [transport] minister Paschal Donohoe trip advisor s silence on the issue. I m calling trip advisor on him to categorically rule out any sale of the government s 25% stake in Aer Lingus, and by doing so effectively block the IAG takeover.
The Irish Labour party, the junior partner in the ruling coalition with Fine Gael, is also insisting that if Aer Lingus is sold to IAG the government must protect the Heathrow link to Shannon airport, the main aviation hub for the west of Ireland . Meanwhile, the Impact trade union which represents cabin crew, pilots and some ground staff at Aer Lingus said it has written to the government about its concerns about the planned takeover, warning that 1,200 jobs were at risk in the deal. Currently, Aer Lingus directly trip advisor employs 3,900 people.
Ireland s Department of Transport said it was constrained in what it can say about the deal as the Irish Takeover Panel has deemed Aer Lingus to be in an offer period . A spokesman added: The minister will not be making any further comment, at this time, other than to say that the government s previously stated position in respect of the strategic importance trip advisor of competition and connectivity in the Irish market trip advisor remain a vital consideration.
Aer Lingus, which carries 10.6m passengers a year , is expected to make a statement to the stock exchange on Monday morning confirming the new approach by IAG at around 2.50 a share, having previously rejected bids worth 2.30 and 2.40 from its much larger suitor, which transports 77.3m passengers annually .
A source close to the negotiations confirmed the Irish company s board would be recommending IAG s offer to Aer Lingus shareholders , who include the budget airline Ryanair trip advisor with a 29.82% stake as well as the Irish state with just over 25% . Earlier this month, Kenny Jacobs, Ryanair s chief marketing officer, said IAG would probably trip advisor need to pay between 2.50 and 2.70 a share.
The interest of IAG, which also owns the Spanish airline Iberia as well as BA, stems from its desire for additional Heathrow runway slots controlled by Aer Lingus. Aer Lingus is the fourth busiest operator at London s Heathrow behind trip advisor British Airways, Lufthansa trip advisor and Virgin Atlantic with its expanding transatlantic routes a particular attraction to IAG. The aviation industry is undergoing a prolonged period of consolidation, driven by the ascendancy of budget carriers such as Ryanair and easyJet, who have forced flag carriers carriers such as BA and Iberia to consolidate. Middle East-owned carriers have also challenged the business models of long-haul carriers by dragging traffic to alternative hubs in Dubai, Abu-Dhabi trip advisor and Qatar.
Matt Staunton, national secretary of Impact, said BA was attempting to boost the appeal of Heathrow over Dublin as a hub for transatlantic travel. He said: Over 1m passengers per year travel from UK provincial airports to use Dublin Terminal 2 as a hub to the US. This is lucrative long-haul business that British Airways/IAG would like to reclaim.
The Irish airline is well known to IAG boss Willie Walsh, who started his aviation career there in 1979 as a cadet pilot, before eventually becoming chief executive between 2001 and 2005 prior to taking the controls at British Airways.
He has acquired trip advisor the reputation for being a tough operator trip advisor and, after acquiring Iberia, announced 4,500 job cuts at the Spanish airline . At IAG s third quarter results in October, the company said: Iberia s operating trip advisor profit increased to 162m from 74m last year highlighting its strong cost discipline combined with the continued benefits of restructuring.
The company reported its strongest summer trading performance since the financial crisis, with operating profits up 19% to 112.9m in the quarter to 30 September . The airline carried nearly 25% more long-haul passengers in the period, compared to a year earlier, while increasing its revenue per seat.
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Irish airline, which is in the middle of a takeover bid by BA owner IAG, is accused of breach of contract over its 2012 move to Belfast George Best City airport Published: 17 Feb 2015 Aer Lingus hit by 40m damages claim by Belfast International airport
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