City airport traffic flying at record high
The airport handled 6% more air traffic in the first seven months than it did last year, and has passed the one million passenger mark at the earliest stage of the year in its history.
With another busy five months to go, things are looking good for Cork Airport to pass the two million passenger mark for the first time.
Marketing boss John Smith is confident they will surpass last year’s record figure of 1.7 million passengers.
“We expect to pass the 1.9 million mark by the end of the year,” he said.
Up to the end of July, 1.05 million passengers had disembarked in Cork. In previous years the seven-digit figure was not reached until autumn. The figures have been boosted by a number of new services introduced to Cork in recent months, including connections with Southampton, Bristol, Swansea, Glasgow and Birmingham.
A three-times-a-week service to Malaga is due to begin in late October and an air link with Edinburgh takes off in two weeks’ time.
The figures are even more remarkable in the context of June’s Aer Lingus dispute which brought figures for the month down almost 2% on June 2001.
Airport bosses are almost assured of celebrating two million passengers next year, with a further eight sun flights expected to be added to the timetables for next summer.
Among the new destinations will be Split in Croatia, as well as additional services to the Balearics, Fuertaventura and Alicante.
Mr Smith said passengers will not be adversely affected by work on the 127million development of the terminal, which is due to get underway before the end of the year.
The latest figures come as concerns are expressed about tourism in the mid-west region. Interest groups met last week with a senior adviser to Tánaiste Mary Harney to discuss how Shannon Airport can be developed to increase the number of visitors to the area.
