Aer Lingus will today urge the Government to adopt the European Commission "Traffic Light System" and a rapid Covid-19 testing regime in order to facilitate an increase in safe international travel.
In a submission ahead of addressing the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communication Networks later today, the airline's chief executive Sean Doyle also calls for the urgent implementation of the recommendations of the Aviation Recovery Taskforce Final Report which was published last July.
He will tell the committee: "All of the above is critical not just to enable a recovery in the aviation sector, it is critical for the future recovery of the Irish economy."
Mr Doyle's submission accuses the Government of having the most restrictive travel policies in Europe, of having done the least in Europe to support its aviation sector, and of damaging vital connectivity.
"That connectivity is gone and there is no visibility on its return," he said.
Mr Doyle also defends the airline's participation in the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, which he says had been the subject of "much inaccurate commentary" over recent months.
This followed reports that staff who had seen their pay and hours cut by up to 70% had been left in difficult financial circumstances because Aer Lingus had refused to sign social welfare forms to entitle them to income supports on days when they were not working.
His submission notes that the challenging Covid-19 crisis was made worse in Ireland by the "uniquely restrictive" travel policies adopted here, adding: "A consequence of this is that practically our entire workforce has had to be placed on reduced hours and pay."
The Aer Lingus CEO's submission says the airline had sought to maintain a direct employment relationship with its employees, in line with the stated aim of the TWSS, and not to lay off significant numbers of employees leaving them to rely exclusively on welfare support from the social protection system.
He states that Aer Lingus at all times acted fully in accordance with guidance from the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection in relation to TWSS, its successor the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme, and various jobseeker benefit schemes.
He notes that wage subsidies were based on "unreduced" salaries before the airline imposed cuts of up to 70% to pay and hours, and stresses that Aer Lingus applied the full amount of the subsidy paid to its employees.
The Joint Committee will hear from Aer Lingus, Ryanair, the daa and Shannon Group, which runs Shannon Airport.
