Shannon set for boost from Ryanair

SHANNON Airport will get its first major boost since the break up of Aer Rianta today with Ryanair expected to announced up to a dozen new routes.

The airline has negotiated a new landing fees deal with the Shannon Airport Authority and will begin services to new destinations next year to Britain and European bringing an additional two million passengers through the facility.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary and Shannon chairman Pat Shanahan will hold a press conference this morning.

Mr Shanahan was understood to be briefing airport workers on the development along with giving the airport workers a progress report on the airport’s new business plan.

Fine Gael TD, Pat Breen said: “It is very welcome news and will represent a huge boost to tourism in the region and fill a huge void at Shannon airport in the afternoons and at night-time when there is a lack of scheduled services.”

This year, the airport has been the only state-owned airport to record a decrease in passenger growth with a drop of 5%.

Recently, the airport has announced eight new scheduled services to European destinations.

The expansion may not be good news for easyJet, Ryanair’s main European rival, which recently announced its intention to fly to the Co Clare airport and for Eujet, the airline launched by former GPA executive PJ McGoldrick.

Ryanair has been looking for a cheap landing charge deal at an Irish airport for some years and the coup by Shannon will be a blow for Dublin Airport.

Ryanair has said it will not launch any new routes from Dublin unless it gets a second independent terminal at Dublin and cheaper landing fees.