Tag Archives: Shannon airport

In an exclusive interview with the Clare Champion, Conal Henry says he aims to get Shannon Group and the airport out in front of the challenges it will face in future PÁDRAIG Ó Céidigh lasted less than six months before resigning in frustration as chairman of Shannon Group, while his predecessor Rose Hynes faced often scathing criticism during her time in the role. Clearly being chairman of Shannon Group is a role that exposes one to widespread scrutiny. While someone with Conal Henry’s background certainly can’t have been convinced to take up the role for the money, why has the Belfast man accepted the role that Mr Ó Céidigh branded “the most challenging job in Irish aviation”? “First of all, and this sounds crass, but I really mean it, you don’t do things for money, you do things to deliver better outcomes, to effect change that benefits people. “I’m very happy getting involved in a project like Shannon, I find …

DUBLIN Airport acted as a predator feasting on Shannon, but is now seeing the results of its own greed, Fianna Fáil’s Timmy Dooley has claimed in the Senate. Senator Dooley referenced a Tweet from the Dublin Airport Authority Twitter account effectively telling customers that if they are travelling at peak times they should expect delays of approximately three and a half hours. “An addendum advised that if people happened to be bringing a car, they should add another half an hour. For the premier airport in the State to find itself in that situation is appalling, and there is a reason for it finding itself there. “It has engaged in predatory practices in attracting airlines and passengers to dominate the entire sector. Airports such as Shannon have been left to wither on the vine,” he said. The East Clare based senator added, “There was massive growth in passenger traffic prior to 2019. Dublin got the bulk of it and Cork, …

A TRANSATLANTIC jet has made an emergency landing at Shannon Airport after suffering an engine problem off the south coast this morning. This is the second time in less than a fortnight that a United Airlines flight travelling from the U.S. to Europe was forced to make an emergency diversion to Shannon. This morning, a United Airlines flight UA-52 was travelling from Washington in the United States to Zurich, Switzerland with 126 passengers and crew on board. Shortly after 5am, as the Boeing 767-300 jet was passing south of Ireland, the crew declared an emergency reporting an issue with the aircraft’s left engine. As the flight was rerouting towards Shannon, emergency procedures were being implemented at the airport. Units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Shannon and Enns stations were mobilised to the Shannon in support of the airport’s own fire and rescue crews. National Ambulance Service paramedics and Gardaí were also dispatched to the scene as part …

THERE were celebrations today at Shannon Airport as nine new Airport Police and Fire Service (APFS) recruits joined the team. The recruits, who began their training in January, celebrated their passing out, in the company of their loved ones at the Shannon Airport Fire Station. The nine recruits underwent a three-month intensive training programme which now equips them to work in the combined role of airport police and fire personnel at Shannon Airport. Part of the specialist training programme has taught the fire service graduates how to battle Jet A1 aviation fuel fires which can reach up to 1000 degrees Celsius. Their response time to an incident must be under three minutes. Congratulating the new APFS graduates and presenting them with medals of achievement, Mary Considine, CEO, Shannon Group said: “We are delighted to celebrate the passing out of our latest intake of firefighters. They are joining a service with a great history and tradition. One that is professional in …

A US-bound passenger jet diverted to Shannon Airport last night after the crew declared a medical emergency reporting a young child had fallen ill. Turkish Airlines flight TK-29 was travelling from Istanbul, Turkey to Newark, New Jersey in the US at the time. The flight was about 250 kilometres west of Co Mayo when the crew turned around. Shortly before 9pm, the flight crew made radio contact with air traffic controllers in Shannon and advised them they had a medical emergency on board and wished to divert to Shannon Airport. The crew reported that a young child had fallen ill. The Airbus A330-300 jet made a U-turn and routed directly to Shannon Airport. In the meantime, the National Ambulance Service was alerted and paramedics sent to the airport ahead of the jet’s arrival. It’s understood that there was a doctor on board the aircraft who assessed the child and advised the crew to divert to seek medical assistance. The flight …

WHEN Pádraig Ó Céidigh was appointed chairman of Shannon Group last September it was seen as very positive for the airport, but he resigned in frustration last week, after less than six months in situ. The chairman is involved in setting the strategic direction of the airport and the wider Shannon Group and as such is very important to the regional economy. Following his resignation Mr Ó Céidigh declined to be interviewed by the Clare Champion, but sources say that he was very frustrated. The source said he felt it was proving very difficult to pursue the objectives that he wanted, and that he found it difficult to forge positive relationships with certain other people within the Group. Given his experience in aviation and the level of success he enjoyed, the Ó Céidigh appointment last year was seen as a smart one, and the Galway man was clearly enthusiastic about taking on the role at the outset. Following the decision …

The Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, has announced his intention to appoint Conal Henry to the position of Chairperson of Shannon Group. Mr Henry is expected to be formally appointed as Chair following his appearance before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications which the Minister hopes can be arranged at the earliest opportunity. Speaking today, Minister Ryan said “Given the important role of Shannon Group to the economy of the Midwest region and nationally, I am pleased that Conal Henry is willing to accept the position of Chairperson of Shannon Group. “Conal has 15 years’ experience at board level in both executive and non-executive positions and his career spans the aviation, telecoms, retail and banking sectors. I am confident that he will play a key role in leading Shannon Group in its continued recovery.” Welcoming his appointment, Mary Considine, CEO, Shannon Group said: “I am pleased to welcome Mr Henry in his new role as Shannon Group chair. …

A new Ryanair route, which will fly directly from Shannon Airport to Malta, was launched yesterday (Sunday 27th March). The route is the first ever scheduled Ryanair service to Malta from Shannon Airport. It will operate twice weekly, each Thursday and Sunday, until the 27th October 2022. The service from Shannon Airport means that passengers will now have two airports in Ireland to depart from – Dublin or Shannon Airport – when planning their visit to Malta. Speaking ahead of the launch of the inaugural flight, Mary Considine, CEO, Shannon Group said “We are delighted to launch Shannon Airport’s first ever scheduled Ryanair service to Malta and know this will be an exciting new destination for holidaymakers from the west of the country. “With its warm climate, breath-taking landscapes and UNESCO World Heritage sites, Malta will undoubtedly be a very popular destination this summer for sun seekers and those who want to experience its culture.” Tolene van der Merwe, Director …