Shannon Plan requires targeted action and political priority – Carey

Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey said today that the five year deal announced for Shannon last week should highlight the serious situation facing the airport’s future unless targeted action is taken.

As part of the plan, Shannon is to abandon the low-cost model and seek to attract 2.5 million passengers through the airport annually by 2015.

Deputy Carey said these new targets highlights the extent to which the current Fianna Fáil government has abandoned Shannon Airport and failed to make it a political priority.

Deputy Carey said:

“Much of the detail announced in relation to Shannon last week is pretty sketchy and aspirational. There is little real vision for the airport and how it will grow and develop.

While the figures of 2.5 million passengers a year by 2015 sounds impressive, we have to remember that in 2009, 2.8 million passengers went through the airport.

Since then we have seen a reduction in services, particularly in relation to Ryanair. From this month, the airline will have just six destinations from the airport, compared with 35 in 2008. Up to 2009, the airline accounted for 1.9 million passengers at Shannon. This figure will fall to around 400,000 in 2011.

A lot of the announcements in this plan, in relation to both the development of a cargo hub at Shannond highlight the serious situation facing the airport’s future unless targeted action is taken.

As part of the plan, Shannon is to abandon the low-cost model and seek to attract 2.5 million passengers through the airport annually by 2015.

Deputy Carey said these new targets highlights the extent to which the current Fianna Fáil government has abandoned Shannon Airport and failed to make it a political priority.

Deputy Carey said:

“Much of the detail announced in relation to Shannon last week is pretty sketchy and aspirational. There is little real vision for the airport and how it will grow and develop.

While the figures of 2.5 million passengers a year by 2015 sounds impressive, we have to remember that in 2009, 2.8 million passengers went through the airport.

Since then we have seen a reduction in services, particularly in relation to Ryanair. From this month, the airline will have just six destinations from the airport, compared with 35 in 2008. Up to 2009, the airline accounted for 1.9 million passengers at Shannon. This figure will fal