Ryanair increasing Shannon passenger numbers by 125,000

RYANAIR is today launching its summer schedule from Shannon for 2015, which will see an increase of 125,000 passengers per annum.

There will be two new routes, to Kaunas and Manchester, (19 routes in total) with 65 weekly return flights. Interestingly, Shannon is set to have more Ryanair passengers that Cork Airport in 2015.

Ryanair’s Chief Marketing Officer Kenny Jacobs said that Shannon is set to see more growth than the other Irish airports. “In the past two years we’ve grown significantly in Shannon and this is the most growth at any of our bases in Ireland. It’s good for Clare, good for Limerick and our customers in that part of the country, which we’re happy with.”

Since Shannon separated from the Dublin Airport Authority it has had the ability to negotiate on price with airlines and he said that having its independence has helped the Clare airport.

“We’ve a better deal in Shannon and I think airports like Shannon and Stansted, once they get their independence from whoever is running the national airports, they do a better job of growing traffic and that’s much better for the community near that airport, it’s better for tourism and jobs. It’s also better for choice of outbound destinations,” he said.

Shannon should have around 75,000 more Ryanair passengers than Cork next year, and Mr Jacobs said it is much more competitive on price. “There’d be quite a gap. Cork airport charges are the same as Dublin Airport. They are more expensive than airports like Malaga, like Lisbon and Seville.”

The Irish economy is picking up, he added, something that is leading to increased domestic demand.

“You can see it in two areas, you have a lot of people heading away on city breaks, which would have been put down the list due to austerity. The second thing you’re starting to see is a lot of families heading away for two holidays a year. They may have just focused on maybe two weeks in Lanzarote but now they may be taking an Easter break as well or at the mid term in October.”

 

Owen Ryan