In an industry where airlines have all too often been run by aviators instead of businessmen, Aer Arann chief executive Padraig O’Ceidigh (pronounced ‘O’Kaygee’) has brought a cautious–if not typically Irish–approach to the airline. “The most important word in business is ‘no’,” he asserts. As an entrepreneur turned airline boss, he has learned quickly that (in the words of William Stout, designer of the Ford Tri-Motor) an airliner has to be “a vehicle capable of supporting itself aerodynamically and economically at the same time.” Accordingly, O’Ceidigh will not easily accept an airliner salesman’s pitch unchallenged.
Is his non-aviation background a disadvantage? Not according to Aer Arann commercial manager Jennifer Mooney: “We believe the fact that Padraig is an entrepreneur is a huge advantage, and he uses his experience as an accountant, solicitor and teacher to benefit the company. It also enables him to think outside the box, as he is not constrained by the airline background of many CEOs.”
