Facing the prospect of national airlines going bankrupt, many countries are choosing bailouts.  Italy’s Alitalia is being nationalised, Germany is taking a 20 per cent stake in Lufthansa, Norwegian and SAS have taken €1.4 billion in loans, and Air France-KLM has taken €11 billion in loans. The airlines are getting bailed to protect strategic national communications links (or if you’re cynical, to protect jobs and vested interests).  Ireland, being an island, depends on its airlines. But whether the government wants to or not, Ireland can’t bail out its national airline because it no longer has one. Aer Lingus was bought by…

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