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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Civil Service to fly Aer Lingus | Civil Service to fly Aer Lingus |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Aer Lingus has won a lucrative government contract to fly civil servants between Belfast and London. | Aer Lingus has won a lucrative government contract to fly civil servants between Belfast and London. |
| The two-year deal means the company will be the sole carrier for the Northern Ireland Civil Service between Belfast International and Heathrow. | The two-year deal means the company will be the sole carrier for the Northern Ireland Civil Service between Belfast International and Heathrow. |
| Aer Lingus Director of Corporate Affairs, Enda Corneille, said the contract is estimated to be worth around £500,000 per year. | Aer Lingus Director of Corporate Affairs, Enda Corneille, said the contract is estimated to be worth around £500,000 per year. |
| The Irish airline opened its UK hub at Belfast International 18 months ago. | The Irish airline opened its UK hub at Belfast International 18 months ago. |
| In recent months there has been criticism of the amount of money which the Northern Ireland Civil Service spends on travel. | In recent months there has been criticism of the amount of money which the Northern Ireland Civil Service spends on travel. |
| The Department of Finance and Personnel has confirmed that, in a period of just nine months last year, civil servants took over 2,584 bmi flights to Heathrow, at an average price of £199 per seat, resulting in a bill of £514,503. | |
| Less than a tenth of civil servants who travelled to London in the same period chose to take a cheaper route via Belfast International airport. | Less than a tenth of civil servants who travelled to London in the same period chose to take a cheaper route via Belfast International airport. |
| Commenting on claims in Wednesday's Irish News that a ban has been introduced on business class travel within the Northern Ireland Civil Service, a spokesman for the Department of Finance said it has been long standing policy for staff to take the most economical method of travel available. | Commenting on claims in Wednesday's Irish News that a ban has been introduced on business class travel within the Northern Ireland Civil Service, a spokesman for the Department of Finance said it has been long standing policy for staff to take the most economical method of travel available. |
| Aer Lingus is now considering adding a fourth daily flight to Heathrow. | Aer Lingus is now considering adding a fourth daily flight to Heathrow. |