There has been little effort to save the summer holiday season, so it is inevitable that airports like Aldergrove will suffer

Northern Ireland’s biggest airport envisages up to 45 job losses out of 195 — roughly a quarter.

Since late March, the airport has been as good as closed. For much of that time there have been no flights.

Remember the uproar when Aer Lingus, which was one of the only air connections that kept flying (Belfast City to Heathrow) was unable to keep social distancing. Of course it was unable to do so: to keep two metres in all directions would mean only one in nine seats would be occupied.

It is plainly unsustainable to operate what would be almost a private flight of a dozen or two people.

Should Northern Ireland be left without air connections? These are questions that must be answered by those who call for the hardest possible lockdown and for zero risk with regard to Covid-19. In that case slmost every aspect of society faces ruin, save for the public sector.

While the unions ask a reasonable question of Aldergrove — why not put staff on furlough? — we should note how that scheme has been abused, such as councils allocating scarce funds to topping up salaries of furloughed staff. No wonder the Treasury is trying to curb the scheme.

Local politicians act as if money grows on trees, while inching us out of lockdown. There was little effort to save the summer holiday season so airports will inevitably be hit. Our thoughts are with the Aldergrove staff at this time.

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