Hunt for Mannion's successor believed to be near conclusion

The three month serarch for a successor to Aer Lingus chief executive Dermot Mannion is believed to be drawing to a close with the possibility that the successful candidate's identity will be revealed towards the end of this week.

Among the front runners are believed to be the airline's current chief financial officer, Sean Coyle who jumped the fence from Ryanair over ayear ago. Others who are understood to be in the running are former Willie Walsh men Brian Dunne and Seamus Kearney.