More inbound traffic – best thing for region

GETTING more inbound traffic into Shannon is probably the best thing that could happen to this region’s tourist industry and this week Lahinch hotelier Michael Vaughan, who is president of the Irish Hotels’ Federation, welcomed the separation from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA).
“From a business point of view, the positives are that it has a balance sheet free of all debt. It has what I believe is a very dynamic chairperson in Rose Hynes and I think there is a clear focus on where Shannon needs to go. I think there’s a huge amount of work to be done yet but the airport has the ability now to chart its own path for the future,” he said.
Mr Vaughan also called for the region to get behind the airport. “It beholds all of us in business to support the airport as much as we can. I know Rose Hynes has already had discussions with Chambers of commerce and other business interests in getting an airport fund independent of the airport and I think that should be supported too.”
While he is positive about Shannon’s future, he does acknowledge there are issues to be faced. “I think that the increase in passenger traffic out of the US into the airport in 2013 is significant and I think it bodes well for the airport that the American Airlines have all indicated their intention of a long-term relationship with the airport. I think transatlantic is going to be key to a lot of it.
“On the other side of it we have a significant amount of work to do to get connectivity into Europe. In the longer term, we’d have to be worried about the future of the Heathrow slots when Aer Lingus if Aer Lingus does come to sale. The airport isn’t without significant issues but I believe that with an independent board and a balance sheet without debt it will be in a better position. By and large, I think most of the people in the tourism sector are very positive about the airport.”