Routing some US flights via Cork would put city on the map

As I was out of the country, I did not see the letter written by Finbarr Wright, concerning the lack of, or none, to be precise, air connections between Dublin and Cork Airports.

But I agree totally with the letter written by Mr Donal O’Dowd in the Irish Examiner (Sep 24), on the above subject.

Shannon, Dublin, and Kerry Airports are all served with flights (admittedly with connections through Dublin for Kerry) by transatlantic flights but nothing for Cork, Ireland’s second city.

At the moment, there are two daily flights between Dublin and New York and Dublin and Boston, operated by Aer Lingus, Ireland’s national airline, and seven flights a week between Shannon and New York/Boston.

Would it not be possible that, in this day and age, with freedom of the skies, the national airline would consider routing some — say two a week from both New York and Boston — from the US, via Cork, en route to Dublin. This way, eastbound passengers could fly direct into Cork and then the westbound passengers could join their respective flights here, to go to Dublin and connect with the non-stop Dublin direct USA flights, to get back to home. Equally, of course, Irish passengers could fly Cork-Dublin and onwards to the various USA destinations and fly home directly to Cork from either New York or Boston, or wherever.

The above suggestion would eliminate the problem with lack of runway length, for westbound flights, as the aircraft would be flying only to Dublin and also, with the facility of pre-immigration and customs clearance for entry to the USA being available at Dublin Airport, the Cork-originating passengers would also be able to avail of that facility and all passengers on the Dublin-USA flights would be cleared in Ireland, for entry to the USA.

With all the fuss and promotion for next year’s planned Gathering of the Irish, especially from the USA, maybe it might not be too late yet to seriously look at the above, in time to try and get some sort of transatlantic service into Cork and avoid, as Mr O’Dowd said, passengers lugging their suitcases — and maybe even golf clubs — across Dublin to get trains to Cork!

Finbarr Murphy

Ballincollig

Co Cork