Aer Lingus gets €6.5 million in terror bail-out - Aer Lingus has received €6.5 million in compensation from the Government following losses caused by the four days immediately after September 11 attacks when aircraft were unable to fly to the US, according to today's Irish Independent. The Minister for Public Enterprise has also sanctioned a grant of €200,000 to Cityjet for the 'no-fly' days. Ryanair has also filed an application for compensation but it has not yet been processed, while Aer Arann has withdrawn its application, a spokesman for the Department of Public Enterprise said yesterday. He added: 'The hardest hit was Aer Lingus because it could not fly to the US.' He said there was also a knock-on effect in Europe because carriers like Cityjet were unable to carry American transit passengers.
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German court to hear case against Ryanair - Ryanair is no stranger to legal action but it may meet its match in a Cologne courtroom tomorrow, says the Irish Times. Germany's Lufthansa will present a case that could dent the low-cost airline's ambitious expansion plans in Europe. The German national carrier will argue that Ryanair is misleading customers when using the name 'Frankfurt-Hahn' in its advertisements. The airport, a former US airbase, is located 110 km from the city and is not even in the Frankfurt metropolitan area, says Lufthansa. Ryanair has to convince the court otherwise or face serious consequences. Just last month it launched seven new routes from the airport and another three come on-stream next week. A ruling forbidding them from advertising 'Frankfurt-Hahn' could harm the latest push.
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UK's Hutchison 3G in content deal with Emap - Hutchison 3G, the newest of the UK's mobile phone operators and owner of the UK's largest third-generation licence, has signed a content deal that will allow it to offer news and gossip over 3G handsets from magazines such as FHM, New Woman and Smash Hits. The Financial Times says that the two year deal, signed with Emap, the magazine publisher, will raise pressure on rival operators to forge similar deals. Many analysts believe mobile operators, which in the UK paid £22.5 billion to buy 3G licences from the government, will need to develop compelling content to convince users to pay for mobile internet services.
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Consignia gives 10% pay rises to bosses - Consignia, the beleaguered postal group under fire for its huge losses, cuts to services and staffing crises, are set to reward two executives with 10% pay rises, the London Independent writes. The Government last week approved increases to chief executive John Roberts and Jerry Cope, the head of mail services, despite the company losing an estimated £1.5 million a day, Consignia confirmed last night. The company said the pay rises were justified because recent Department of Trade and Industry appointees to the board had been given bigger salaries than Mr Roberts.
