Shannon Airport has secured a new year-round service to Glasgow with Europe’s largest regional airline Flybe, starting 1st May 2013. The new flights to Glasgow will operate three times weekly – Wednesday, Friday and Sunday – and generate over 10,000 additional passengers through Shannon Airport in 2013.
The service is a welcome return to Shannon for Flybe airlines, which last operated a successful route at the airport to Birmingham between 1999 and 2005.
Mary Considine, Shannon Airport Managing Director, said: “This is excellent news for Shannon Airport as it not alone delivers a new route to Glasgow but also a new airline customer to the premier gateway airport for the West of Ireland.
“The Glasgow route was last operated in October 2011 and we are delighted to restore links once again. This new service now provides us with access to Scotland’s two premier destinations, with the Glasgow flights in addition to our existing Edinburgh service. This is a really good start to the year; coming so soon after Shannon’s independence was delivered on 1st January. Together with new routes commencing this year to Chicago, Philadelphia and Faro, we are already on a strong growth path for 2013.”
Rose Hynes, Shannon Airport Authority Chairman, said: “We said that the immediate focus of an independent Shannon would be passenger growth. This is a good start and there will be more to come.”
While the passenger traffic and new routes continue to grow at Shannon, the airport is focused on delivering even more services and airlines for 2013, according to Declan Power, Head of Aviation Development at Shannon. “We are delighted to secure the services of Flybe in the UK market and we will be working with the airline to expand its services further, in keeping with our strategy of developing a strong mix of airlines with a range of viable and sustainable services.
“The airport will continue to focus on developing routes that have the ability to satisfy consumer demand and deliver tourism and business growth to the region.”
The new Flybe service brings the total numbers of routes that will be served this summer from Shannon Airport to 32, with the airport keen to deliver even more routes in time for the peak travel period.
“Glasgow is an excellent service, with two way demand,” added Declan. “It is an extremely attractive destination; it has a huge cultural heartbeat and was Europe’s first ever designated City of Culture. There is a very strong Irish tradition there as well, not least built around Glasgow Celtic Football Club.
“On the flip side, the Glasgow market is a really strong opportunity for tourism into the wider West of Ireland region and we are delighted to be able to deliver this service for tourism interests here to take advantage of. The new service is also very timely this year in the context of The Gathering.”
