Tag Archives: Shannon Group

SHANNON Group CEO Neil Pakey will not have his contract renewed when it expires next June, it was announced on Tuesday. While Shannon Airport has returned to growth since separation from the Dublin Airport Authority in 2013, this year the increase in passenger numbers is set to be relatively minor, in the order of 4%. Shannon will only reach about two-thirds of the 2021 target of having 2.5million passengers. Indeed, a target of 2.3m passengers by 2017 is very unlikely to be met. It has also lost a handful of routes in recent times, while competing airports have had more positive developments. There is shock in some quarters that Mr Pakey’s contract is not being renewed, as Shannon Group (which also includes Shannon Commercial Properties and Shannon Heritage) has frequently expressed satisfaction with the progress made during his tenure. On Tuesday afternoon, Clare TD Timmy Dooley said the decision by the board of Shannon Group raises a number of serious …

A PHOTOGRAPHIC exhibition capturing some of the golden moments and world famous faces that visited Shannon Airport has just opened. Closing the curtain on a year of celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the first commercial transatlantic flight into Shannon, or any land-based Irish airport, some 64 images, dating from the 1950s up to now, have been placed in a permanent exhibition on the walls of the airport’s transit lounge. The exhibition, which was officially launched by Shannon Group chairman Rose Hynes, reflects the international standing of Shannon as a global aviation crossroads as it includes some of the world’s best known personalities of politics, stage, screen and sport. Famous faces and events captured in the exhibition include every US president from presidents John F Kennedy to Barack Obama; other global political and religious leaders such as Nelson Mandela, President Mikhail Gorbachev, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Cuban President Fidel Castrol, Pope John Paul II and the Dali Lama. Shannon Group CEO, …

A LITTLE over three years ago, Rose Hynes was asked to chair a working group on Shannon Airport, which was having its worst year since the 1980s. She was subsequently appointed chairman of Shannon Group and has been at the helm as the new entity has made a solid start, with passenger numbers growing again after years of decline. When Shannon was under the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) structure, there were frequent complaints that its interests were way down the list of priorities but some felt the financial protection of being part of a wider group offered a level of protection. Separation working Now, Ms Hynes believes splitting it from the wider group has been the major factor in the ending of the long decline. “I think it was a hugely positive thing that the Government took the step and set up the taskforce because, that time, the numbers were going only one way – collapsing. I think if Shannon …

MANY of the buildings in Shannon Free Zone were built decades ago and are in poor shape but with €21 million to be invested in the next 24 months and more to follow, Shannon Group says it will soon be far more suited to the needs of 21st Century industry. Demolition work on some of the old stock begun this week and Shannon Group says the project will significantly strengthen the hand of development agencies in attracting major investment. The agency says the €21m first phase of the redevelopment will take place over the next two years and will support more than 250 construction-related jobs, including the redevelopment of a 12 acre site. As part of the initial phase, two projects have been planned at a combined cost of in excess of €10 million. These include a 40,000ft² Grade A office block and a 30,000ft² advance technology manufacturing unit. Work on the 12 acre site commenced with the demolition of …

DESPITE Shannon Airport’s much vaunted recovery, Shannon Group is about to seek redundancies from staff, with talks between management and unions set to begin next week. Shannon Group is a commercial semi state, with Shannon Airport as its core and also encompassing Shannon Commercial Enterprises (formerly Shannon Development)Shannon Castle Banquets and Heritage Limited (formerly Shannon Heritage) along with the International Aviation Services Centre. In a statement to the Clare Champion on Wednesday evening Shannon Group claimed that the redundancies are required to help its competitive position. “The necessity to address the cost base of the Shannon Group business units has been known for some time. In recent times it has been referenced in the Shannon task force report and subsequent annual reports. We are exploring options to address this including a voluntary severance scheme. This will make for a more sustainable business model going forward.” No details of what terms will be offered to staff looking to depart have been …

Shannon Group chairperson, Rose Hynes has launched a stinging broadside at critics who are bemoaning Shannon Airport’s dramatic growth. In what could be perceived as a swipe at Fianna Fáil leader, Michéal Martin, Ms Hynes said she focuses on earning market share every day in Shannon, instead of “moaning, whining and blaming everybody else”. Deputy Martin recently claimed in the Dáil that deals being offered by Shannon Airport to grow traffic with airlines such as Ryanair, “do not add any value to the country”. A special award for service to tourism was presented to Ms Hynes at the third annual Irish Hotels’ Federation Mid-West Fundraising Gala Ball in the Greenhills Hotel, Limerick recently. Shannon branch chairperson of the Irish Hotels’ Federation, Elaina Fitzgerald-Kane, said Ms Hynes is responsible for a “monumental turnaround” in the airport’s fortunes, which is revitalising tourism across the region. In 2013, the first full year of operation since becoming an independent entity, the airport succeeded in …

SHANNON Heritage has been appointed to operate and manage the €7 million GPO Witness History Interpretive Exhibition Centre. It’s a major coup for Shannon Heritage, which is part of the newly established Shannon Group, also encompassing Shannon Airport and Shannon Commercial Properties. It already operates attractions in Clare like Craggaunowen and Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. The contract was awarded following a competitive tender process, while the visitor centre is now under construction at the GPO. It is expected to attract up to 300,000 people a year following its opening at Easter 1916. Speaking about the contract award, Shannon Heritage CEO John Ruddle said, “Shannon Heritage is delighted to be involved with this nationally important project at the iconic GPO location. We have been managing visitor attractions for over 50 years and this new visitor attraction provides the company with a great opportunity to expand in the capital city and also play a vital role in the celebrations of the …

Shannon Airport has broadened its horizons for the summer sun holidays by confirming that Turkey is back, following confirmation of weekly charter services to the hugely popular Izmir. Sunway Holidays will put on services from May 23to September 19, carrying up to 6,000 additional passengers through Shannon to the sun-kissed city on the western tip of Anatolia this summer. Sunway are 100% Irish owned and the largest Tour Operator to Turkey from Ireland. The news comes after last week’s announcement by Shannon that it grew its passenger numbers by 17% in 2014 and is looking for further increases this year. The new charter will serve the resort of Kusadasi, which is one of the largest and best known of the Aegean Sea holiday resorts in Turkey and has been the most popular resort for Irish tourists for many years. It is a port city built along the shores of a bay. Cruise ships from all the around the world often …