A deal has been agreed on for Aer Arann to continue flights to the three Aran Islands until next September.
Aer Arann flights to and from the will continue as scheduled from December 21 until September 30 2019.
Last month an emergency deal was struck to continue Aer Arann flights up to December 20.
At the time Galway West TD and Minister of State for the Islands Seán Kyne said the government would be issuing a tender for an interim service up to next September.
According to RTÉ it is understood that for this nine month contract Aer Arann will receive an extra €13,000 per month on top €670,000 offered by Roinn na Gaeltachta for this emergency contract.
Travel to and from the Aran Islands has been a fraught topic recently as Aer Arann has repeatedly said that under the current contract its service was no longer sustainable.
The airline’s owner Pádraig Ó Céidigh made headlines recently when he offered to sell the business, lock, stock, and barrel, to the island communities for €1.
Progress has been made on securing the future of the service as, at the same time services were secured to Christmas, a deal was struck to use Connemara’s Na Minna for any service up to 2021.
The government will be looking for a permanent provider for travel services to the Aran Islands after September 2019
