Islanders fight to keep Aran’s airline service

The downgrading of the only airline service to the Aran Islands would result in the irreversible rapid decline of the island community, according to a study published this week.

The survey was commissioned by the Aran Island Air Service Committee, which was set up over two years ago when the threat to the Public Service Obligation (PSO) was first mooted.

Tarlach de Blacam, Chair of the committee said the withdrawal of the subsidy or any downgrading of the existing air service would be detrimental to island life, to its medical, educational, economical and social development.

The results of the survey was launched yesterday in Dublin and afterwards presented to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Aer Arann was established in 1970 and has for the past 43 years carried islanders, tourists, business people and cargo on its daily flights, which reach up to 25 a day in peak season.

It offers a year round service and is subsidised for islanders.

The survey involved a door to door questionnaire to establish how people used the service, how they felt about it and what they thought about the proposal to withdraw the PSO aspect of it.

Of those who answered the questionnaire, 56% said they had been born on the island while 44% had moved there from elsewhere.

The general consensus of the survey was that it was critically important for the economic and social vitality of island life that the air service continue as it is.

See full story in this week’s new-look Connacht Tribune.