Shannon traffic numbers fall

SHANNON AIRPORT suffered almost a 20 per cent drop in transatlantic traffic for the first six months of 2008 as the ending of…

SHANNON AIRPORT suffered almost a 20 per cent drop in transatlantic traffic for the first six months of 2008 as the ending of the Shannon stop-over begins to take effect, writes Gordon Deegan.

Figures provided yesterday by the Shannon Airport Authority for January to June show that the number of transatlantic passengers dropped from 325,438 in 2007 to 262,858 for the first six months of this year - a drop of 19 per cent. The decision by Aer Lingus to end its London Heathrow route from Shannon last January resulted in a drop of 16 per cent, or 57,000 passengers, on London routes for the first six months of the year.

Cork Airport Authority (CAA) enjoyed a 13.5 per cent increase on its London Heathrow service, going from 224,669 for the first six months of last year to 255,000 from January to June this year. The increase on the London Heathrow route contributed towards the CAA increasing its passenger traffic from 1.5 million to 1.6 million, an increase of 7.6 per cent.

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan is a contributor to The Irish Times