Passenger numbers at Kerry Airport fell slightly in 2014, according to the regional airport’s results announced yesterday.

A prominent Government TD has said his Transport Minister colleague Paschal Donohoe was wrong to rule out exchequer support for debt-ridden Cork Airport.

The Government has refused to give any lifeline of exchequer funding to Cork Airport and said it is up to airport management and DAA to reverse plummeting passenger numbers.

The Government should consider subsidising the Cork-Dublin air route, the chairman of the DAA has suggested, adding that Cork Airport is at a disadvantage compared to other airports.

State funding for daily flights between Kerry and Dublin, which had been due to end in November, will continue until February 2015.

Kerry Airport made a tiny operating profit last year, but passenger numbers dropped by 8%, according to the company’s annual report and accounts for the year ending Dec 31 last.

A regional airport is opposing plans for a wind farm, on the grounds that it may cause hazards for aircraft using the facility.

The withdrawal of the Government-financed public service obligation from Kerry Airport has resulted in a 19% decrease in passenger numbers and a €3m fall in revenues.

THE scrapping of Ryanair’s flights from Cork and Kerry to Dublin will have a devastating impact on the region, tourism representatives have said.

KERRY Airport, supported by political, business and tourism interests in the county, is to step up its campaign to have the subsidised service on the Kerry to Dublin route restored in July.

Kerry Airport has announced it is seeking 20 redundancies from its staff of 65.

RYANAIR chief Michael O’Leary is due in Kerry today and is expected to spell out the reasons for his airline’s major reduction in services on the Kerry to Dublin route.

TRANSPORT Minister Noel Dempsey last night met nine of Kerry’s TDs and senators in Dublin in the wake of Ryanair’s decision to cut its Kerry/Dublin service.

KERRY AIRPORT yesterday reported an 11% fall in passenger numbers to 371,796, with reductions on all routes last year due to the recession.

WEST of Ireland business people have to navigate their own path to recovery as state agencies will not come to their rescue, says entrepreneur Denis Brosnan.

Kerry Airport has reported a 16% drop in its operating profit in the 12 months to the end of last October.

KERRY AIRPORT will be looking closely at its cost base as the company’s operating profit for 2008 is down 16% on the previous year.

KERRY Airport, which last year had a slight drop in passenger numbers, is falling behind in relation to charter services, the airport’s annual general meeting has heard.

KERRY Airport managed to increase pre-tax profits by 17% despite the withdrawal of a €400,000 government marketing grant.

KERRY Airport is set for major expansion, with an €8m investment needed to cater for at least a million passengers by 2011, it was revealed yesterday.

KERRY Airport is set for major expansion, with a €8m investment needed to cater for at least a million passengers by 2011, it was learned yesterday.

KERRY AIRPORT is in discussions with US charter companies to target potential travellers in Boston and New York with direct flights to Kerry in 2005.

RYANAIR may switch its Paris and Brussels routes from Shannon to Kerry Airport if the low-cost carrier fails to force a better deal out of Aer Rianta, NCB Stockbrokers said yesterday.