| -> | | | | ensure Irish interests are best served while the |
| Aer Lingus is based in Dublin Airport from which it | | | | majority will be sold to the public. |
| flies routes around Ireland, Europe and North America. | | | | Recent years have been good to Aer Lingus since |
| The airline dates back as far as 1936 when West | | | | they transformed their model to that of a low coast |
| Coast Air Services established the airline under the | | | | air line to compete with Ryanair who also fly out of |
| Air Navigation and Transport Act of 1936. The name | | | | Dublin Airport. The Airline is now profitable once again |
| 'Aer Lingus' is a phonetic translation of Aer - Loingeas | | | | after losing money for several years beforehand and |
| which translates from Gaelic to 'our fleet.' | | | | during the 1990s came close to being bankrupt. |
| The Government of Ireland own 85% of the | | | | Today the Aer Lingus fleet consists of Airbus aircraft |
| company with much of the remainder being in the | | | | while Ryanair have opted for Boeing aircraft. Aer |
| hands of the unions who represent the workers of | | | | Lingus have 22 A320 - 200, 6 A321 - 200, 3 |
| Aer Lingus. In recent developments the government | | | | A330-200 and 4 A330-300 aircraft with another four |
| has approved the privatisation of the airline. The | | | | on order. |
| Government will still retain a share of the airline to | | | | |