Shannon Airport (Feb 2012 - Jan 2014)

Layinghen

Wonderful to have more positive news for Shannon Airport. Hopefully this positive trend will continue.

lockman

Not directly related to the airport per se, but there was an announcement today at Shannon about a US aviation company setting up its EMEA hq at Shannon.

I have posted it as one of the stated aims of the airport authority when it split from the DAA, was the establishment of an international aviation services centre. Today's announcement would appear to be part and parcel of that.

The full story can be found here:

http://businessandleadership.com/business/item/40361-north-american-aircraft-ser

Brennans Row

Fewer Flights

Shannon’s separation from the Dublin Airport Authority hasn’t got off to a flying start with the number of commercial flights at the airport in February down by 17 per cent on the figure for February 2012. Following a 10.7 per cent decline in January, the overall drop in commercial flights at Shannon for the first two months of 2013 came to 13.78 per cent.

In February, there were 1,012 commercial movements at Shannon compared to 1,219 in February of last year. Some of the decline can be attributed to the fact that February was one day longer in 2012 which was a leap year.

Chicago to Shannon

A delegation of tourism operators from the West of Ireland spent one week in Chicago promoting the new United Airlines flight from Chicago to Shannon which begins in June 2013. During the sales mission, the Irish representatives, who sell group tours and individual vacations to Ireland, met key travel agents and tour operators based in and around Chicago.

Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland said: “We are working closely with United Airlines to maximize the promotion of this new route. The United States is a tremendously important tourism market, second only to Britain in terms of delivering visitor numbers”.

Source Limerick Post

It’s early days yet and one can see that there no quick fixes, as it will be one long hard slog for the new authority to turn the fortunes of the airport around.

Jim Martin

I was reading recently that apparently, while the cost of a holiday in Ireland is not a problem, there is an issue with the high cost of air fares coming from the USA!

Brennans Row

I see what you mean.

Out of curiosity, I just priced a family (2 kids) flight to Ireland in August from JFK to SNN with Aer Lingus.

Total price $4,360!

It’s really a market for singles, childless couples or the retired.

source

Brennans Row wrote: »

I see what you mean.

Out of curiosity, I just priced a family (2 kids) flight to Ireland in August from JFK to SNN with Aer Lingus.

Total price $4,360!

It’s really a market for singles, childless couples or the retired.

Is that one way or return?

Clareman

I used to travel to the States a few times a year and the difference in prices could be amazing, depending on the day of the week or the carrier you were taking could make thousands of a difference.

source

Clareman wrote: »

I used to travel to the States a few times a year and the difference in prices could be amazing, depending on the day of the week or the carrier you were taking could make thousands of a difference.

Yeah one way from Shannon to JFK is $2472, for the same example as above. How is the difference so much?

Clareman

Just looked up United, there's a difference of €219 per person flying the 1st of Sept (Sunday) and the 2nd. Also, isn't JFK 1 of the most expensive places to fly into in the States, like Heathrow in the UK?

Brennans Row

source wrote: »

Is that one way or return?

Return.

source

Brennans Row wrote: »

Return.

Return Shannon to JFK is $2936 for two adults and two kids. Still a significant difference.

Brennans Row

source wrote: »

Return Shannon to JFK is $2936 for two adults and two kids. Still a significant difference.

That’s some difference!


I selected

• JFK-SNN-JFK
• 01.08.2013-21.08.2013
• Fare type = lowest
• 2 Adults; 2 Children

lockman

Brennans Row wrote: »

It’s early days yet and one can see that there no quick fixes, as it will be one long hard slog for the new authority to turn the fortunes of the airport around.

These figures for Jan/Feb are disappointing and indeed the new airport authority do indeed have their work cut out for them.

Afaik, Aer Lingus Regional have only one aircraft based in Shannon this year (versus two this time last year) so that partially explains the drop in movements and passenger numbers. Aer Lingus Regional are not operating flights to Bristol and Glasgow ex SNN (as they were this time 2012).
Also, for the first few months of this year, the Aer Lingus Regional aircraft was a smaller ATR with fewer seats (than the ATR that is normally in operation ex SNN). They are due to revert back to the larger craft around now.

Most of the new routes from Shannon (Philadelphia, Faro, Chicago etc) announced in recent times are due to kick off in the summer season (April/May-Sep/Oct) so these will help to reverse this decline in passeneger numbers and aircraft movements.

Jim Martin

lockman wrote: »

Most of the new routes from Shannon (Philadelphia, Faro, Chicago etc) announced in recent times are due to kick off in the summer season (April/May-Sep/Oct) so these will help to reverse this decline in passeneger numbers and aircraft movements.

Not with the sort of fares being quoted!

irishbloke77

Jim Martin wrote: »

Not with the sort of fares being quoted!

Just had a look and shannon faro is pretty much the same as Dublin faro for July per adult with aer Lingus.

As is Dublin-Philidelphia compared with shannon-Philidelphia per person on july13-20th with us airways.

As is Shannon - Chicago against Dublin Chicago either with or without stops for the same weekend.

Looks like flying shannon on these routes at least (not checking every day for every route with every airline), are quite competitive. Now, maybe getting a fare going for example Dublin-LHR-PHL may be cheaper but when comparing like for like shannon/Dublin westbound, they seem very similar.

Best of luck to shannon airport and the airlines, good to see new routes opening up for a change, now it's up to all the people who have the option, to use them or lose them again.

Jim Martin

I wasn't talking about Westbound but Eastbound from the US!

irishbloke77

Jim Martin wrote: »

I wasn't talking about Westbound but Eastbound from the US!

Again, mid July Saturday to Saturday, going Chicago to shannon or Dublin, using either united or us airways, they are the same price to shannon or Dublin.

Looks like shannon are competing with Dublin eastbound or westbound

zweton

Guys, do ye think Ryanair or any other airline will add some European destinations for the summer from Shannon. Would love to see Barcelona or a few Italian cities.

Battleflag

zweton wrote: »

Guys, do ye think Ryanair or any other airline will add some European destinations for the summer from Shannon. Would love to see Barcelona or a few Italian cities.

If they were going to, I would assume they would have been announced by now

Clareman

Faro and Glasgow routes are starting up soon, their facebook page is a good source of information.

https://www.facebook.com/Shannon.Airport.Official?fref=ts

zweton

Battleflag wrote: »

If they were going to, I would assume they would have been announced by now

ya true.

Chucken

Ryanair have added Montpellier, starts 26 Apr 13.

irishbloke77

Chucken wrote: »

Ryanair have added Montpellier, starts 26 Apr 13.

And ends again on the 28th of April 2013 (2 days later). It's a one-off flight used for the Heineken cup semi-final rugby match with Clermont in Montpellier.

Chucken

Booking Period: Tue 23 Apr 13 - Thu 25 Apr 13
Travel Period: Tue 7 May 13 - Thu 27 Jun 13
Applicable Days: Mon - Thurs (Subject to availability)
Offer Advance Purchase: 14 Days
starts 26 Apr 13

irishbloke77

Chucken wrote: »

Booking Period: Tue 23 Apr 13 - Thu 25 Apr 13
Travel Period: Tue 7 May 13 - Thu 27 Jun 13
Applicable Days: Mon - Thurs (Subject to availability)
Offer Advance Purchase: 14 Days
starts 26 Apr 13

Try booking any other day part from this weekend. No flights. I see what you mean by saying they are flying up until jun 27th but they are not.

Chucken

Ahhhh, I see that

Maybe they'll keep it though? Would it worth their while just for a couple of days?

Clareman

Chucken wrote: »

Ahhhh, I see that

Maybe they'll keep it though? Would it worth their while just for a couple of days?

Oh yeah, and then some, day return flights are €335 for the match tomorrow, that's for a charter flight where there's a lot more overheads in place, for the likes of Ryanair taking a plane and crew off another route for a weekend would be a nice money spinner for them.

lockman

This story was mentioned on the rte news last night, and although off on a tangent, thought it worth mentioning.

From the airport's website, news section:

http://www.shannonairport.ie/gns/about-us/latest-news/latest-news/13-04-26/Shannon_Airport_support_for_farmers_fodder_crisis.aspx

Shannon Airport support for farmers' fodder crisis

26 April 2013

Shannon Airport is delighted to help farmers through the current fodder shortage by bringing forward to today grass cutting on the 300 acre site by two years and donating the bales of silage to local farmers.

The airport agreed to a request from the IFA yesterday to advance the grass cutting from 2015, with harvesters set to be on site at the airport by as early as 3 p.m. today and the first bales ready for distribution to farmers 90 minutes later.

The intervention by Shannon Airport will provide significant relief for farmers, with up to €40,000 worth of silage made available by the airport free to the IFA for distribution.

Speaking today ahead of the arrival of the harvesting crew, Mary Considine, Managing Director, Shannon Airport said that the airport was delighted to be able to make this significant contribution to farmers.

“We weren’t due for a full grass cut here until 2015 but we have brought it forward in response to the IFA's request yesterday. Everyone is aware of the current fodder issue and farming is hugely important to the region so it was a compelling ask and one we didn’t have to think twice about supporting. There will be a decent return from this for the farmers as some of the grass hasn’t had a full cut for two years. We are happy to assist, especially if this can help farmers out of the current crisis.”

Said Andrew Dundas, Chairman of Clare IFA: “This is one of the most difficult fodder crises farmers have experienced and our members in Clare are particularly badly affected. Shannon Airport couldn’t have been more helpful and this will bridge the gap for hundreds of farmers in Clare. The farmers who will be getting these silage bales wouldn’t otherwise be able to get their hands on fodder right now, it’s that tight. That’s how important this support from Shannon Airport will be to the farmers.”

colm_mcm

(From irish examiner.com)

lockman

Some of the recently announced new routes from Shannon are starting this week.

Today (01/05/13) sees FlybE's Snn-Glasgow route begin operations, aswell as the Aer Lingus Snn-Faro route.

Good luck to all concerned.