*Shannon Airport.
SHANNON AIRPORT is gearing up to have two million passengers by the end of 2024, for the first time in fifteen years.
Growth across all key air services in 2023 surpassed all expectations, CEO of the Shannon Airport Group, Mary Considine admitted. She was speaking following Wednesday’s publication of The Shannon Airport Group’s 2023 annual report. Predictions for 2024 are that the Airport will have two million passengers by the end of 2024, its highest level of air traffic since 2009.
During peak years of the Celtic Tiger, Shannon Airport had 3.3m passengers in 2005 and 3.6m in 2007.
Last year Shannon Airport welcome 1.959m passengers, a 29% increase on the previous year, and the highest level of traffic since 2009. Continental European traffic rose by 41% to 748,000; UK traffic increased by 31% to 838,000, and transatlantic passenger numbers grew by 24% to 296,000.
Services from Shannon received a boost last year with new Ryanair services to destinations including Naples, Porto, Béziers and Liverpool, as well as additional capacity on popular destinations such as Malaga, Faro and Alicante, particularly during peak holiday times and school holidays. Another highlight was the launch of the new Aer Lingus service to the hub airport of Paris Charles de Gaulle.
Ms Considine outlined, “Transatlantic services at Shannon are an important part of our customer offering and they received a major boost in 2023 with the launch of a new daily Chicago service by United Airlines. With reduced dwell times in security screening and our established US Pre-clearance facilities, passengers can look forward to an even easier and more enjoyable experience at Shannon. We have enjoyed a transatlantic market rebound generally since Covid, and in addition to Chicago, we offer services to New York/JFK, Boston, and New York/Newark with our airline partners. We are delighted that May 2024 will see the resumption of the Delta New York/JFK service. This new daily seasonal service will further boost Shannon’s connectivity to the US, meeting the demand for direct US routes to and from the West of Ireland”.
She said, “Shannon Airport’s recognition as the best Irish airport brand in 2023 by RED C underscores our commitment to customer satisfaction, which remains central to our operations. Our routes to and from Shannon Airport facilitate access to global export markets, attract Foreign Direct Investment, support tourism and drive economic activity. 2024 is off to a great start with first quarter airport passenger traffic results showing a 12% increase on 2023 figures”.
In 2023, the Shannon Airport Group delivered a strong financial performance. Group turnover from continuing operations increased 12% on the 2022 figure to €67.9 million, while EBITDA for the Group increased to just over €21 million, a 27% increase on 2022. This was reflected in the Group’s profit for the year from continuing operations of €28.4 million (before tax and exceptional items).
“Our strong growth is the result of the hard work of our dedicated team, the support of our customers and stakeholders, our strategic partnerships and government support. In 2023, Shannon Airport secured operational and capital funding when it was temporarily included in the Regional Airports Programme enabling the completion of vital safety and security projects at the airport during the year. We made considerable progress last year and with continued Government support we can achieve even more for our region and for the country as a whole. Ultimately, Shannon Airport’s permanent inclusion in the Regional Airports Programme will deliver economic benefits for Ireland, aligning as it does with the Government’s own ambitions for ensuring balanced regional development,” Mary said.
In 2023 the Group continued the roll out of its ambitious capital investment programme with the delivery of a new 60,000 sq. ft. multi-purpose industrial unit, and a 40,000 sq. ft. R&D technology unit at its Shannon Campus. The Group also completed a number of infrastructural projects at the airport, among these, rehabilitation work on an airport taxiway.
Commenting on the future Ms Considine said: “As we look forward to another positive year in 2024, we remain optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead, as our airport and commercial property activities continue to create an environment that boosts economic growth and helps the region to grow. We remain steadfast in our commitment to prioritising customer satisfaction, a principle that guides both our airport operations and our commercial property endeavours, and to ensuring that Shannon Airport continues to be Ireland’s airport of choice for connectivity and business”.
