Ryanair sweeten the offer

Ryanair tonight sweetened the offer for Aer Lingus by offering the government complete control over the Aer Lingus Heathrow slots, promising to restore the Shannon - Heathrow route and respect the trade union recognition in place at Aer Lingus. Earlier in the week, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey had said that one of the government's roles as a shareholder in Aer Lingus was to prevent a hostile takeover. The government has also been concerned that Ryanair would dispose of the Heathrow slots in the event of a takeover. Tonight, Ryanair countered those fears by stating that they would change Aer Lingus' articles of association to give a legally binding guarantee that the Heathrow slots could not be sold, transferred, leased or switched to another airport without written approval of the Irish government.