AER LINGUS REGIONAL has announced that it is to add 20 new jobs when it expands its services in 2014 at Shannon.
The airline, which is operated by Aer Arann, said it will also have 100,000 additional passengers, and has announced new routes.
It expects to grow total passenger numbers from Shannon to 200,000 by the end of 2014, rising to 240,000 passengers by the end of 2015.
It confirmed that the decision to expand its services to and from Shannon was directly related to the Government’s announcement in Budget 2014 that it would abolish the travel tax from April 2014.
New routes
Aer Lingus is to introduce a new daily Bristol service from 3 April 2014, and is also expected to announce more new routes and services from other airports very soon.
The airline also said that it will double capacity on its Shannon Birmingham route, and an additional service on its Shannon Manchester service.
Shannon Manchester will now operate three daily flights, with two daily flights on the Shannon Birmingham route. Aer Lingus Regional is offering preclearance connectivity from Birmingham and Manchester onto Aer Lingus’ services to New York and Boston via the Shannon morning flights.
Aer Lingus Regional has seen a 10 per cent rise in its passenger numbers in 2013 compared to the previous year.
Aer Arann’s Chief Commercial Officer, Simon Fagan said its Shannon expansion programme was a key part of the airline’s growth plan.
He added that they expect to carry 25,000 passengers on the Bristol route in the first year.
CEO of Shannon Group plc, Neil Pakey, said that the newly-independent airport has “had a positive start to life” and that summer passenger numbers recorded month-over-month increases on last year of close to 10 per cent and up to 40 per cent on transatlantic.
2013 was all about stopping the decline and stabilising passenger numbers. We achieved that and are now in growth mode.
Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar said that the news was a further boost from the suspension of the travel tax in Budget 2014.
Since the election I have worked hard to promote and encourage new air routes into Ireland. Earlier positive announcements include the United service from Shannon Airport to Chicago, and the return of Aer Lingus flights to New York and Boston from Shannon.
He added that he is “confident that the airport can look forward to renewed growth next year and beyond.”
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