Tag Archives: Airport

 SHANNON separated from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) at the start of 2013 and despite much trepidation, it was a very successful year for the airport, with growth in passenger numbers resuming in the second half of the year. Several new services were secured and 2014 should be Shannon’s best year since the recession began. Shannon approached separation having had just 1.4 million passengers in 2012, the lowest number since 1988 and way short of the 2.5 million figure that had been set for it to achieve in the coming years. However, the numbers kept dropping in the early part of 2013 and it wasn’t until June that it was reversed. The addition of new routes to Chicago and Philadelphia helped the airport record an 8% increase in passenger numbers, compared with the previous June. Indeed, there was a 38% increase in transatlantic numbers, with effect of The Gathering helping. That gave Shannon momentum, as June was the first time a year-on-year increase had …

SHANNON Airport’s most popular passengers on New Year’s Day were All-Ireland Champions Clare as some dedicated fans turned up to wish them bon voyage on their  team holiday to the US and Mexico. Some 300 Banner supporters grabbed photos and autographs as the 80 strong party arrived  for the 1.30 p.m. departure to Cancun, Mexico, via Boston. Manager Davy Fitzgerald, with McCarthy Cup in hand, was first to walk through the doors and, more than three months after they claimed the county’s fourth All-Ireland title, was still immediately besieged by young Clare fans eager to get their photograph taken with him. Fitzgerald ensured his young charges were at Shannon early to ensure no fan was left disappointed. There was even a pleasant surprise for the manager himself as among those who stood in for a photo with him and the McCarthy Cup was none other than one of Ireland’s most successful music stars Dolores O’Riordan, fresh from her performance on …

COMMERCIAL traffic movements at Shannon were down marginally year on year going into December, according to statistics from the Irish Aviation Authority. According to their figures commercial traffic at the airport was up by 1.8% in November compared to the same month last year, but is down by 1.7% for the year as a whole. The negative growth for the first 11 months of the year is almost certainly due to the airport’s poor performance in the first few months. However, since the summer things have been improving and with increases in services to the US, Britain and Europe starting next year, things should improve significantly. It should also be noted that commercial traffic movements are seen as a less significant indicator of performance than passenger numbers. Commenting on the first eleven months of 2013, Eamonn Brennan, Chief Executive of the IAA said; “Recently Shannon has had some positive announcements from both Ryanair and Aer Arann and in November its …

THE stormy weather conditions on St Stephen’s Day resulted in serious disruption to services at Shannon Airport. Flights due in from Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester and the East Midlands in the UK were cancelled, while services were also diverted to Cork and Dublin. Later in the night roles were reversed as flights bound for Cork had to divert to Shannon. The storm also resulted in disruptions to outbound flights from the Clare airport, but services are now returning to normal, with a number of flights having taken off this morning, although one to Manchester was cancelled. Passengers are still urged to check the status of their flight with the airline operating it.    

FAMILIES were reunited amid emotional scenes at Shannon Airport on Monday afternoon. Heathrow is one of the world’s great hub airports and passengers on the Aer Lingus flight from there had began their journeys in all different corners of the world. Bridget and Eddie Kenihan from Corbally in Limerick were waiting at the arrivals gate well before the flight arrived and it was a huge day for them. “We’re waiting for our son and daughter in law and our little grand daughter who we haven’t even met yet, they’re coming from Australia,” said Bridget.     Muireann Simons from Belharbour waited with her daughter Orla for another daughter Maeve, who has been based in London for the last two years. Orla is home from Leeds and another sibling is due to arrive on St Stephen’s Day from Italy. “It’s the first time all the siblings have been together for about four years,” said Orla. Margaret Drysdale has lived in Doonbeg …

THE tourism industry in Clare has enjoyed a better 2013, after a number of tough years, with much of the turnaround due to The Gathering, an initiative much maligned before the year began. Lahinch hotelier Michael Vaughan, who is also president of the Irish Hotels Federation, said The Gathering has been a significant factor. While there was some cynicism about the initiative at the start of the year, with actor Gabriel Byrne claiming it was more about money-grabbing than anything else, Mr Vaughan said it had succeeded and that communities had bought into it. “You’d have to say it [The Gathering] was a 100% success. When it started off and the initial hopes were outlined, a lot in the tourism trade believed they were only aspirational. As the year went on, it certainly gathered momentum and it wasn’t because of any one huge event but there were lots of small, cumulative events that have led to an overall increase in …

FLYBE has announced it will be discontinuing its Shannon to Glasgow service. In January of this year the airline announced the Glasgow-Shannon route would be starting in May. Flights operated on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and around 10,000 passengers were expected to use the service in 2013. In a statement Flybe outlined its position; “The airline can confirm that its two routes from Glasgow to Paris Charles de Gaulle (currently operated via Cardiff) and Cardiff will be withdrawn with effect from January 19, 2014, together with its service to Shannon that will end on January 5, 2014. Flybe can also confirm that its summer only route from Edinburgh to Knock in the west of Ireland is being withdrawn. “Passengers affected by these changes are being contacted and will be offered an alternative Flybe flight or a full refund on their ticket.” Flybe were loss making in 2012 and despite returning to profits in 2013, they have announced plans to cut …

SHANNON Airport is on the brink of turning a profit for 2013, as its recovery continues. “We’re not into forecasting but, at the end of this year, we expect to turn a modest profit or break-even which, for the airport, is a very good result on a standalone basis,” Shannon Group chair, Rose Hynes, said on Wednesday. She was speaking after the announcement of a new Shannon-Bristol route from Aer Lingus Regional and increases in capacity on its Birmingham and Manchester routes. Not so long ago, Shannon was losing well over €100,000 per week and there were concerns about its sustainability after separation from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA). However, there have been a slew of positive announcements on future services in the second half of this year, while traffic has been growing for some months. Ms Hynes said the decision of Government to abolish the travel tax has been a major help to recovery. “It was significant in prompting …