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The five-star boost Obama gave one Irish business

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A holiday could be too short to Barack Obama's position Merrion Hotel in Dublin in the heart of the map for U.S. tourists

The Goring Hotel has not returned since Kate and her sister Pippa Middleton was a month ago, saw – it was a seen by many companies and Home Fashion Alexander McQueen and milliner Philip Treacy growth of trade on the back of the royal family wedding. Even if the Royal Suite costs £ 5000 night.

Today, the Merrion Hotel in Dublin are looking for a dividend as a guest of prestige and expected back arrow to profitability after joining the ranks of the stellar Goring with a surprise visit by Barack Obama.

It appeared yesterday that Obama the slot in the Phoenix Park President avoided if he came to Ireland on Monday and chose this five-star hotel stay deprived.

And so far as relates to general manager Peter McCann, there is no question that the ash cloud meant he was turning his residence and his staff do not even cut the lids.

"We felt a bit deflated when it is clear he would not stop was. Cynics will say that he not stay here, but the fact is that the President and First Lady to stay here and send an important message to the U.S. and the British market, decidedly, "said McCann.

Unbeknownst to all media in Dublin, the Obama family had sneaked into the hotel around noon on Monday a light lunch, then went to the Embassy of the United States. They returned later in the night before the Stansted Airport after a possible lock to beat the air space because of the Icelandic volcano.

"The last thing he said was" sure that the people I talk here, "said McCann.

These are the words of a man who would have known how empty the hotel staff, but also the value of a presidential candidate along with their company.

"They were absolutely delicious, the most beautiful people who could make you nice. They were relaxed and there was a stillness about them," he said.

The President arrived around noon and went to 204sq m penthouse suite at the Mornington House, one of four Georgian town houses knocked together, make this hotel in the city. "A healthy snack" was under the supervision of the adviser to the White House restoration, which was to control everything in place.

For McCann, it was a triumph – the stay was one of the best kept secrets in Ireland. The hotel is already on the map because of the many distinguished guests including the Chief of Mission of Ireland International Monetary Fund, Ajai Chopra and position of the government buildings, the photographers are never far away.

"They erected a canopy over the street outside the hotel when he arrived by car, they could lead to land and shelter. It was established on Sunday and I was not the passer that surprises going to work on this, I think she must have thought it was a wedding or something, "said McCann.

all passengers of Air Force One was followed by 40 more secret service personnel, the President of the United Kingdom the following day – All 142 rooms have been by the President and his entourage.

It all started a week after St. Patrick's Day, when the embassy to discuss the possibility of the stay. Several layers of security were to come in the months and weeks to evaluate the hotel.

All functions of the Voyage of the White House with the President with special communication facilities, catering supervisors, medical staff and even a replica of the press room in Washington, one of the consequences if Obama made to the American people in an emergency address.

"They have reproduced in full, it was exactly as you see on TV, with the panel and the background. You saw, you would not know it was Dublin."

The local telephone company, Eircom, was hired to install were installed high-speed ISDN lines in advance, and dozens of additional phone lines.

"Are the various layers of security and, as he approaches the most seniority visited them," said McCann, who had to keep his identity a secret, but all the guests of six or seven of his colleagues.

"It was incredibly exciting and historic, and there was a huge sum here," he added. Although staff were prevented from photographing, Obama insisted that they included a photo with them and put into practice the few words of the Irish he needs for his speech later that day to the receptionist.

Part of the hotel's owner, Martin Naughton is one of the most successful companies in Ireland, knows the value of the visit to its conclusion.

"We have four bad years in a row and had all things are equal, we hope to be back in profit this year," said McCann.

Two years ago at the hotel, the choice of foreign stars and dignitaries rushed for so many years into the red with a loss of 500,000 €. It would be controlled prices between € 350 and € 400 to have peaked, but now you can book a room for less than € 199 to rise.

"We cut our cloth according to the time," said McCann, and was reduced in the past year, the loss of 20,000 €.

"We break even in the last year, ceteris paribus, this year we will consider an advantage."

All things being equal?

Lisa O'Carroll

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British Airways sends test flight into volcanic ash cloud zone

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By fighter pilots, two engineers and two BA crew flies through the "red zone" floats over Scotland

9271E British Airways was a non-conventional cargo and destination. There were no passengers on the A320, took off Tuesday night and flew to the north through a corridor of airspace of the United Kingdom, contained, according to Met Office forecasts, a densely volcanic ash.

BA crew of two pilots and a pair of observers from the engineering department of the airline flew the jet at various heights by a "red zone" that hung over Scotland and in fact thousands of travelers in the country was down. There were no on-board monitors, with the exception of two cameras, which brought the record evidence ash clouds were, but were ultimately not needed.

"We have no special equipment, so that the observer on board a little more eyeballs with the ability to raise and lower the car, if we felt something," said Garry Copeland BA Director of Engineering, which was on the run.

Copeland said there was no evidence of volcanic pollution from a trip of 45 minutes the way from Manchester to Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh and London Heathrow, fly in the red most of the time.

Asked if he, that the plane was waiting to be cleared for launch feared, Copeland said: "Absolutely not we taken very seriously, but not in relation to any question of safety, we were very confident that we were not on the serious ash meet … "After the flight of the A320 both engines, with new filter with the way were the telescope camera, which is also used in pinhole surgery inspected again no evidence of contamination.

BA had the weather maps will be scrutinized various organizations forecast and he was sure there would be no ash, despite the different forecasts of the Met Office Centre volcanic ash (VAAC) in Exeter.

"As an engineer, make sure that my type of business, that is we use all available tools," Copeland said, adding that BA would not ignore VAAC model but also other forecasts. Under current guidelines, the airlines in the United Kingdom with the VAAC forecasts while the U.S. and Middle Eastern Airlines by using forecasts forecaster WSI, which has a lower density of the ash at the latest.

"We wanted to fly in an area of ​​heavy ash forecasts to ensure that our procedures were to prevent the thick ash load, he added. The plane was cleared by the Civil Aviation Authority, the UK regulator for flight safety was.

Copeland has accomplished much in the BA pilots to avoid ash, because their aircraft routes often, where volcanic eruptions are potentially dangerous to fly. "The focus is on preventing fly ash by visible, appearing as a dark cloud. At a time when it is not visible, as in the dark, you can smell sulfuric feel or see the signs static electricity, such as a blue glow he said.

BA hopes that the flight to check in areas of high density identify more precisely, so that airlines that fly through areas affected, in fact, hardly. "The intention is to find safe ways of continuing operations," said Copeland. "As engineers, we are wired to do."

Dan Milmoe

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