Shannon-Frankfurt service set for take-off while talks continue to restore Cork-Frankfurt link

Inaugural Discover Airlines Shannon to Frankfurt flight begins at noon on Saturday April 25

Shannon Airport head of aviation development Declan Power and airport director Niall Kearns celebrate the start of the new Discover Airlines Shannon to Frankfurt route which takes off on Saturday April 25.

A new service linking Shannon Airport to Frankfurt will take off this week while efforts continue to secure a resumption of Cork flights to the German financial hub. 

The inaugural Discover Airlines Shannon Airport to Frankfurt flight begins at noon on Saturday April 25, running weekly until October 24. “We’re excited to welcome our first Frankfurt bound passengers through Shannon on Saturday. This service opens up opportunities for both business travel and inbound tourism," said Shannon airport director Niall Kearns. 

"Germany is a key market for Ireland, and having a direct link from a major European hub to the Wild Atlantic Way is a real advantage, helping to bring more visitors into the region and supporting local hotels, attractions, restaurants and businesses along the west coast."

Discover Airlines is a subsidiary of Lufthansa Group, and the new weekly service to the MidWest comes just days after another Lufthansa subsidiary, Cityline, suspended its services between Cork and Frankfurt. Lufthansa is ceasing all Cityline services across Europe with 27 aircraft removed from the German carrier's schedule, a decision accelerated due to the fuel crisis which has hit Europe's airlines and also by an industrial relations dispute at the airline.

The Cork-Frankfurt route which had run three times weekly are now suspended until the end of May but hopes are high that a service will resume this summer. "We are actively talking to Lufthansa about trying to secure connection of service. We are acutely aware of the importance of the connection between Cork and Frankfurt," said Cork Airport communications manager Barry Holland.

"The service has been a great success in the last few years in terms of the load factor and the number of passengers that used it. We are also aware of its important to inbound tourism in Cork, and the service was very popular with German holidaymakers travelling to Ireland. We are working hard to ensure a service is maintained."