Shannon Airport Thread [Mod Warning in First Post]

Berty

Thing is the UK don't have a blanket restriction request on US Arrivals(non green list), or do they, but the US doesn't allow anybody in from the UK or Ireland unless they're a US Citizens or H1B visa worker(not all of them but some) so right now, although demand, would be higher on the UK side there are still restrictions heading to the USA since mid march.

Cosmo Kramer

This is a longer term proposal though, isn't it? They are looking at an initial three year period running until 2023.

Covid has given IAG the excuse they needed to move the transatlantic aircraft out of Shannon. Would have been a huge political mess to do it before now, will still cause some issues but it'll pale into insignificance compared to the other problems facing the region and country in the next few years. So they must think now is the best opportunity to get out of Shannon.

RocketRaccoon

Aer Lingus have proven over the years they have no interest whatsoever in Shannon, this isn't a surprise. Let them go and hopefully a competent new board can have discussions with other airlines regarding routes.

Deagol

Berty wrote: »

Reports that UK airports have requested use of the Aer Lingus Transatlantic Jets from Shannon, albeit temporarily but not good for SNN and the government decisions.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/aer-lingus-may-move-transatlantic-services-from-shannon-to-the-uk-1.4342317

Makes no sense - BA and other airlines have tons of grounded aircraft / routes. Why would EI think that they can make money on the routes when BA / Virgin etc are grounding assets.

nthclare

JamesBond2010 wrote: »

once they be gone, they be gone they wont come back.

As they say nothing is forever, something went wrong along the way in the Shannon Region.


They had great plans for the future, it probably started to decline in 1992..a few bump ups here and there but it lacked lustre during the 90's onwards..

https://youtu.be/xLpvAScmnv0

johnjoeR

Something doesnt sound right about this. Are they planning to operate existing BA routes on smaller craft. I couldn't imagine new routes being introduced at this time. There are mothballed EI A330's in Shannon that dont get a mention. How could EI come with the the begging bowl to the Irish government if this was true or are they preparing themselves for just that and removing one big political stumbling block before hand?

Deagol

nthclare wrote: »

As they say nothing is forever, something went wrong along the way in the Shannon Region.


They had great plans for the future, it probably started to decline in 1992..a few bump ups here and there but it lacked lustre during the 90's onwards..

https://youtu.be/xLpvAScmnv0

You mean just about the time the golden goose of the stopover ended? Wow - never would have figured that would happen... :rolleyes:

Deagol

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2020/0831/1162386-siptu-to-ballot-members-at-shannon-for-strike-action/

And that encapsulates all that's wrong with Shannon. Worst aviation downturn in the history of the airport with 96% reduction in PAX / major airline considering it's future their, 2x TA operations gone and SIPTU decides it's now a good time to talk about strikes...

Cosmo Kramer

They should just let them go on strike if they want to. If operations are down 96% it won't make much difference anyway, they can sit around not doing much and get paid 20% less or walk around with placards and get paid nothing.

Siptu will be hoping the politicians will come through with yet another Shannon bailout. And to be fair to them, you couldn't rule it out. Whether Shannon would be a high enough priority with all the other economic woes on the way in the next year is the question though. If you have to choose between appeasing striking airport workers four years out from the next election and keeping hospitals open what do you pick if you're the government?

johnjoeR wrote: »

Something doesnt sound right about this. Are they planning to operate existing BA routes on smaller craft. I couldn't imagine new routes being introduced at this time. There are mothballed EI A330's in Shannon that dont get a mention. How could EI come with the the begging bowl to the Irish government if this was true or are they preparing themselves for just that and removing one big political stumbling block before hand?

My reading of it is that they are offering smaller medium range aircraft to airports that can't sustain widebody transatlantic routes. BA transatlantic routes connect through London so these would be different, direct routes from regional UK airports for IAG.

Some airports would offer sizeable subsidies for new direct transatlantic routes, airports like Newcastle, Cardiff, Liverpool maybe and would serve much larger catchments than Shannon.

The reality is that those aircraft have probably not been used as profitably as they could have been by siting them in Shannon. But it would have been seen as a political nightmare to move them before now. In the same way that IAG and other airlines are absolutely likely to use the pandemic as an opportunity to restructure their employees' benefits to their advantage, they are also likely to take the same approach with airports.

Avoation1091

To Quote part of the above post “The reality is that those aircraft have probably not been used as profitably as they could have been by siting them in Shannon. But it would have been seen as a political nightmare to move them before now. In the same way that IAG and other airlines are absolutely likely to use the pandemic as an opportunity to restructure their employees' benefits to their advantage, they are also likely to take the same approach with airports.”

The Shannon based NEO jets left in March and three out of 4 have been operating daily BOS & LHR flights from DUB. LRD hasnt flown since April - I think theres an issue with a winglet.

They havent sat in SNN at all during all of this. This is all available to see on flightradar etc.

Cosmo Kramer

You've taken my post a bit literally there Avoation! Obviously what I mean is cutting the associated routes longer term, the aircraft themselves naturally come and go for operational reasons. But the understanding to now would be that the TA services themselves would be restored once schedules get back to some kind of normality - this seems like the opportunity is being taken to remove the services longer term, potentially permanently.

Henry Ford III

The future looks pretty bleak for Shannon Airport.

Davys Fits

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

The reality is that those aircraft have probably not been used as profitably as they could have been by siting them in Shannon. But it would have been seen as a political nightmare to move them before now. In the same way that IAG and other airlines are absolutely likely to use the pandemic as an opportunity to restructure their employees' benefits to their advantage, they are also likely to take the same approach with airports.

Im not sure if thats the reason. They have the staff at SNN at a minimum and were all set to expand services. It could be that they just want to get the government talking to them and using Shannon as a pawn. Interesting that they allowed this to leak before having any firm details. When they pulled LHR route in 2007 there was no leak, just and announcement of withdrawal. Suddenly today we have local TD's saying EI would receive covid support for TA routes at SNN.....

Cosmo Kramer

Yes, I agree - it is definitely possible they are dropping Shannon into the conversation intentionally to stir up the politicians and generate some government financial support out of it.

godfrey

Shannon needs to be a destination, not just a port. Moaning about it's decline without feasible plans for local things to attract travellers is pointless. Yes, it's a super airport, one of my favourites, worldwide, but it's only a port.

g

JCX BXC

Ryanair inform staff that Cork and Shannon bases will be closed for the winter unless the government relax their international travel restrictions.

Deagol

JCX BXC wrote: »

Ryanair inform staff that Cork and Shannon bases will be closed for the winter unless the government relax their international travel restrictions.

Not surprising really - not that I think the government rules are what's driving this - people are just not going to travel at the moment and RA are just using that as an excuse IMO.

There is no restrictions on travel between Ireland and the UK and there was <30pax on my flight from LHR to Dublin yesterday.

Cookiemunster

Deagol wrote: »

Not surprising really - not that I think the government rules are what's driving this - people are just not going to travel at the moment and RA are just using that as an excuse IMO.

There is no restrictions on travel between Ireland and the UK and there was <30pax on my flight from LHR to Dublin yesterday.

Actually the UK is (ridiculously) not on our green list, so the 14 day self isolation request is in place and there's still government advice against non essential travel. There's also the fact that multiple companies are enforcing the 14 days away from work if you've been abroad.

Brennans Row

Shannon - Commercial Movements (IAA)

|Jan|Feb|Mar|Apr|May|Jun|Jul|Aug|Sept|Oct|Nov|Dec|Total
2015|1,253|1,026|1,277|1,454|1,725|2,169|2,058|1,728|1,780|1,645|1,283|1,312|18,710
2016|1,222|1,128|1,390|1,488|1,807|2,031|2,032|1,834|1,839|1,698|1,353|1,327|19,149
2017|1,291|1,215|1,429|1,446|1,776|1,975|1,949|1,885|1,778|1,796|1,440|1,316|19,296
2018|1,301|1,200|1,368|1,575|1,829|2,098|2,104|1,949|2,066|1,858|1,385|1,369|20,102
2019|1,246|1,087|1,320|1,444|1,836|1,951|1,976|1,843|1,974|1,738|1,254|1,191|18,833
2020|1,221|1,179|691|261|238|322|850|725|||||
Change|-2.0%|+8.5%|-47.7%|-81.9%|-87.0%|-83.5%|-67.2%|-60.7%|||||

Limpy

Its a bad time to be any Airport now. Let alone Shannon. Its a low hanging fruit at the moment. Hopefully the preclearence will stay but if theres no TA flights it wouldn't be feesable.

People are panicking seeing full flight's and assume its going to be a Covid cluster.

Only hope is the government formulate a travel policy that encourages travel to safe regions for mental Health ect. Instead of the current shaming all who travel policy.

There's Only 1 type of traveller they should be shaming.

Mc Love

What happens the US custom staff at Shannon? Have they gone home now?

highlydebased

Some Aer Lingus staff returning on a reduced basis. Presume they are planning on resuming a limited service?

Also note the winter leave programme for SNN staff.

https://www.rte.ie/amp/1166159/?__twitter_impression=true

Avoation1091

Mc Love wrote: »

What happens the US custom staff at Shannon? Have they gone home now?

The Pre Clearance resumes on the 20th of Sept so some will probably still be here.

JamesBond2010

highlydebased wrote: »

Some Aer Lingus staff returning on a reduced basis. Presume they are planning on resuming a limited service?

Also note the winter leave programme for SNN staff.

https://www.rte.ie/amp/1166159/?__twitter_impression=true

end of oct /start of Novish

Avoation1091

JamesBond2010 wrote: »

end of oct /start of Novish

Presume just LHR & ACE?

JFK/BOS will prob be at a later date?

Tiernster7

Anybody know what Irelands 3 regions for the green list are?

JamesBond2010

Tiernster7 wrote: »

Anybody know what Irelands 3 regions for the green list are?

well i can guarantee you that u wont be able to fly from Snn or cork to them anyway.

Tiernster7

No there are going to be 3 regions in Ireland for the EU plab according to government. I'm wondering are Shannon and Cork the same region

Cosmo Kramer

Just the one flight on the boards at Shannon right now - due in shortly after 10am and that's it for the day in terms of passenger services it seems.

Is there an argument for just shutting the regional airports for the winter at this stage, at least in terms of commercial passenger operations - whatever few passengers are on that one flight could easily have accommodated on a Dublin flight I'm sure?

Awful times for the staff at the various airports, but would the longer term future of the facilities be better served by shutting them to reduce costs at this stage until the aviation industry has a chance to rebuild and go again post Covid?

Clareman

At the moment the main costs to Shannon is staff costs so closing for a few months won't have any impact on that.