On Nov. 16 the top three managers of Ireland's state-owned airline, Aer Lingus Group PLC, announced their resignations effective in May. The news shocked the country and sent the government into a frenzy. After all, this was the trio that presided over Aer Lingus' dramatic three-year transformation from a money-losing carrier into one of the most profitable in all Europe. Its operating margins, estimated at 11% for 2004, are second only to Irish rival Ryanair in Europe. Willie Walsh, the onetime Aer Lingus pilot who worked his way up to CEO, isn't saying why he and his top lieutenants are stepping down, but industry observers say the government's failure to clarify the airline's future ownership and funding are to blame. "Given the brutally competitive nature of the industry, we need to move faster, not slower," Walsh said in an interview with the Irish press shortly after his resignation. "It was clear the government did not share our sense of urgency." If it didn't then, it certainly does now.