Shannon Airport completes €5.3m airfield works

Niall Maloney, Airport Operations & Commercial Director at Shannon Airport and Grainne McInerney, Head of Engineering, Shannon Commercial Properties. Photo: Arthur Ellis

Shannon Airport has completed €5.3m in rehabilitation works to its airfield this week which completes a €20m, five-year upgrade programme.

The works involved three separate areas of the airfield: the resurfacing of the executive jet and light aircraft park; the extension of a section of the apron which facilitates aircraft for the loading and unloading of cargo, passengers, refuelling and the resurfacing of the long-term aircraft parking area.

More than 40 jobs were created during the airport’s latest upgrade work, which commenced in October and was undertaken by Clare Civil Engineering with design consultants RPS Consultant Engineers. 

The project follows a major upgrade to the airport’s runway in 2017 which saw the resurfacing of the Shannon Airport runway, the replacement of runway edge and centre-line lighting with energy-efficient LED lighting and other associated works.

“The €5.35m project, which was 50% funded by the Department of Transport will future-proof the airport’s airfield and enhance operations," Shannon Airport’s Director of Operations, Niall Maloney said. “We are extremely grateful for the funding support from the Department of Transport that has enabled us to complete this project.

“We are in a period of rebuilding and recovering at Shannon Airport, following severe global travel restrictions. This time has allowed us to focus on key elements and provide longevity to the airport infrastructure, developed for our aircraft and associated operators.” 

Head of Engineering at Shannon Commercial Properties, Grainne McInerney, said a team of 60 people worked on the project over the past 18 weeks to ensure its completion.

In November, Cork Aiport completed the €40m reconstruction of its main runway and planning permission was granted this month for the extension to Waterford Airport's runway that is expected to cost €12m.