Editing Aer Lingus (section)

=== Post-war expansion ===
[[File:Aer Lingus DC-3 Manchester 1949.jpg|thumb|An Aer Lingus [[Douglas DC-3]] at [[Manchester Airport]] in 1948 wearing the first postwar livery.]]On 9 November 1945, regular services were resumed with an inaugural flight to London. From this point Aer Lingus aircraft, initially mostly [[Douglas DC-3]]s, were painted in a silver and green livery. The airline introduced its first flight attendants.

In 1946, a new Anglo-Irish agreement gave Aer Lingus exclusive UK traffic rights from Ireland in exchange for a 40% holding by [[British Overseas Airways Corporation]] (BOAC) and [[British European Airways]] (BEA). Because of Aer Lingus' growth the airline bought seven new [[Vickers VC.1 Viking|Vickers Viking]] aircraft in 1947, however, these proved to be uneconomical and were soon sold.
[[File:Bristol 170.31 EI-AFS Aer Lingus Ringway 08.53 edited-2.jpg|thumb|A [[Bristol 170 Freighter]] at Manchester Airport in 1953.]]

In 1947, '''Aerlínte Éireann''' came into existence to operate [[transatlantic flight]]s to [[New York City]] from [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]. The airline ordered five new [[Lockheed L-749 Constellation]]s, but a change of government and a financial crisis prevented the service from starting. [[John A Costello]], the incoming [[Fine Gael]] [[Taoiseach]] (Prime Minister), was not a keen supporter of air travel and thought that flying the Atlantic was too grandiose a scheme for a small airline from a small country like Ireland.<ref name=Garvin>{{cite book| title=Preventing the Future, Why Ireland Remained so Poor for so long| first=Tom| last=Garvin| date=13 September 2005| publisher=Gill & MacMillan, Ltd.| isbn=978-0-7171-3970-5}}</ref>
[[File:Aer Lingus Viscount 808 Manchester 1963.jpg|thumb|A [[Vickers Viscount]] 808 in "green top" livery at Manchester Airport in 1963.]]

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, Aer Lingus introduced routes to [[Brussels Airport|Brussels]], [[Amsterdam Airport|Amsterdam]] via [[Manchester Airport|Manchester]] and to Rome. Because of the expanding route structure, the airline became one of the early purchasers of [[Vickers Viscount]] 700s in 1951, which were placed in service in April 1954. In 1952, the airline expanded its all-freight services and acquired a small fleet of [[Bristol 170 Freighter]]s, which remained in service until 1957.

Prof. [[Patrick Lynch (economist)|Patrick Lynch]] was appointed the chairman of Aer Lingus and [[Aer Rianta]] in 1954<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/top-irish-economist-patrick-lynch-dies-26251868.html|title=Top Irish economist Patrick Lynch dies|website=independent|date=18 November 2001 |language=en|access-date=2020-02-19|archive-date=22 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322110052/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/top-irish-economist-patrick-lynch-dies-26251868.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/a-force-behind-country-s-economic-growth-in-the-60s-1.337754|title=A force behind country's economic growth in the 60s|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2020-02-19|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033017/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/a-force-behind-country-s-economic-growth-in-the-60s-1.337754|url-status=live}}</ref> and served in the position until 1975.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/fingalindependent/entertainment/niall-pioneers-definitive-book-on-national-airline-27774134.html|title=Niall pioneers definitive book on national airline|website=independent|date=10 January 2003 |language=en|access-date=2020-02-19|archive-date=2 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200302180338/https://www.independent.ie/regionals/fingalindependent/entertainment/niall-pioneers-definitive-book-on-national-airline-27774134.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1956, Aer Lingus introduced a new, green-top livery with a white lightning flash down the windows and the Irish flag displayed on the fin.