Prime Time O'Leary-Mannion Debate

[drkpower]

Dont think there is any thread open on this (apologies if there is one hidden somewhere)

Anyone know the reason for the Takeover Panel directiong OLeary and Mannion not to appear on Prime Time tonight on the Ryanair - Aer Lingus Merger/Takeover.

Lets try and not turn this into a Ryanair or Aer Lingus bash-a-thon.

[He3]

The PT people quoted the TP people as saying it would breach their statutory directive to AL and RYR.

Neither PT not TP cast any light on what the directive said, alas.

[peadarmc]

The PT people quoted the TP people as saying it would breach their statutory directive to AL and RYR.

Neither PT not TP cast any light on what the directive said, alas.

While that post makes perfect sense...i would challenge anyway to read it again absolutely hammered and see how well they do! good job He3!

[Bobert]

The Irish Takeover Board advised against it according to today's Times or Indo, I forget which.

[Colada]

Instead of O'Leary having a tantrum, we got Jim Power having a tantrum.
Never seen the bugger that animated before in my life.
He must have a lot riding on it.

[He3]

While that post makes perfect sense...i would challenge anyway to read it again absolutely hammered and see how well they do! good job He3!

Airline people talk like that so I thought I'd have a go.

[drkpower]

Worries about the possible manipulation/influencing of share prices as far as I know.

I think thats the given reason alright - but since both of them have been banging on about it for weeks (nay years) now, I wonder why the TP has suddenly gotten so exercised over it......?

Seems a bit suspicious to me..

[Upper Chamber]

I can't understand why they couldn't debate. MOL got a free night out on the Late Late last month with Plank asking him the usual searching questions, would have regarded that as far more harmful than a one on one debate.
MOL does soundbites but little real argument, generally taking the p##s with the result that you really can't take him seriously. Mannion is a bit too good mannered in a debate especially when the other is going to shout him out.
I would actually like a clear debate on this. Ryanair are offering less for EI than they have in cash, has appalling standards of treatment for passengers and staff alike, MOL has done everything in his power to mess up the DAA, Aer Lingus and the Government, chase out competition and detests unions. He would have 80%+ control of every decent airport in the country and the aviation authority. The last time out he said he would slash jobs now he says he'll increase them by some magic figure. Oh and he may have over ordered a few billions worth of Boeings so he needs some easy cash.
Of course should he get control of this basket case (actually one of the MOST SUCESSFUL AIRLINES IN EUROPE, but keep saying its a basket case and people will believe you), he will be nice to passengers and staff, never abuse his monopoly, never have the DAA in the High Court every second week and out of sheer patriotic zeal never even think of flogging of our Heathrow access to the highest bidder.

At the end I heard Jim Power, economist (and actually employed by a financial institution, bless 'em all) come up with some non-sensical mumbo jumbo about everybody going to the EU and coming up on some deal on the slots, eh wha'?

[draiocht23]

Dont think there is any thread open on this (apologies if there is one hidden somewhere)

Anyone know the reason for the Takeover Panel directiong OLeary and Mannion not to appear on Prime Time tonight on the Ryanair - Aer Lingus Merger/Takeover.

Lets try and not turn this into a Ryanair or Aer Lingus bash-a-thon.

here's the RTE statement -

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=3][COLOR=black][COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]For this evening’s Prime Time[/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial][COLOR=black][COLOR=black][FONT=Arial] (Tuesday, 13th January) Dermot Mannion, CEO of Aer Lingus and Michael O’Leary, Chief Executive of Ryanair, were booked and confirmed to appear together in studio to debate the merits of the proposed Ryanair takeover bid for Aer Lingus.[/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=3][COLOR=black][COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]However, RTÉ was informed this afternoon that the Irish Takeover Panel has given a direction under the Irish Takeover Panel Act 1997 to both Aer Lingus and Ryanair not to participate in the programme. In a letter to RTÉ, the Irish Takeover Panel said that: “Participation by representatives of either Aer Lingus or Ryanair in the Prime Time programme would therefore result in a breach of the Panel’s statutory direction to the parties”.[/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=3][COLOR=black][COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]Mr Mannion and Mr O’Leary have informed Prime Time that they are unable to participate in tonight’s programme for this reason. [/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

As a contributor to Prime Time said this evening, nothing new would have been said if Mannion and O'Leary were to spar tonight. It's a pretty stupid to ask them to avoid arguing in each other's presence and, yet, allow them to make individual statements/attacks on each other.

[McEavelli]

Dont think there is any thread open on this (apologies if there is one hidden somewhere)

Anyone know the reason for the Takeover Panel directiong OLeary and Mannion not to appear on Prime Time tonight on the Ryanair - Aer Lingus Merger/Takeover.

Lets try and not turn this into a Ryanair or Aer Lingus bash-a-thon.

Can we turn it into a Jim Power bash-a-thon?

That panel piece was the most biased analysis I've ever seen. Power told us that 'Ryanair wanted the tv debate more'. That is an opinion based on press releases that it appeared he hadn't read. And either way so what?

He also whinged about an Aer Lingus trip to Brussels costing nearly €500 and suggested Ryanair would never do such a thing. Good forbid.