South Africa on the menu for Knock Airport

Holidaymakers from the west of Ireland are set for safari style winter breaks with a new service from Knock to South Africa, it emerged today.

The airport which mainly offers internal services and flights to the UK and Europe now plans the first ever direct service from the region to Cape Town.

Desmond O’Flynn, marketing and sales manager at the airport, said it was a pivotal move for the west of Ireland.

“Knock International Airport is the pivotal international airport for the whole west and north west of Ireland and our aim is to provide a diverse range of destinations to our customers.

“The holidays from Knock to Cape Town, announced today, are an excellent example of this, linking the northern and southern hemispheres.

“We have worked and will continue to work hard to offer exciting and unusual destinations to our customers in the Borders Midlands and West region.”

The trips, billed as music and fun holidays, will cost around €1,800 for two people sharing.

Knock International Airport, used by some 250,000 passengers each year, will be running the service along with PC Promotions and Joe Walsh Tours.

It is the country’s fastest growing international airport and has reported record half-year passenger figures for 2004 of 158,391, up 55% on the same period in 2003.

The winter trips to South Africa will run from October 21, to November 1, and from November 1, until November 11.