Covid has seen numbers at Knock Airport drop by 79%
PASSENGERS numbers at Ireland West Airport have declined by 79 per cent from pre-pandemic levels. In 2021, an approximate 175,000 passengers flew through the airport as the impact of Covid-19 continued to have a significant effect on passenger numbers.
This was slightly up from the 2020 total of 143,000 but paled in comparison to 807,000 passengers in 2019 which was a record high for Ireland West Airport.
142,000 passengers travelled through the airport on services to and from the UK in 2021 compared to 671,000 in 2019, whilst just 31,000 passengers travelled to mainland and continental European destinations last year compared to 134,000 which used these services in 2019.
Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, investment continued in the Airport Transformation Programme, with a number of infrastructural projects commencing during the course of 2021, aimed at continuing to improve the facilities and modernise the airport to ensure the facility will meet the future needs of both airline customers and passengers. Projects which commenced in 2021 included the critical airport runway end safety upgrade works as well as the design and construction of a new arrivals hall passenger exit facility.
Also undertaken is a major upgrade of the airport’s electrical infrastructure. A feasibility study was completed for the design and construction of a new fire training ground and facility at the airport; There was also a feasibility study for the expansion of the aircraft parking area (apron) plus a masterplan to support the airport’s sustainability and environmental strategy. 2021 brought some further positive news with the announcement by Ryanair of three new destinations as the airline commenced new services to both Edinburgh and Manchester in September and announced in December the launch of a new service to Birmingham, which will commence in March 2022. Aer Lingus also returned to the airport in December, following an absence of over 20 months.
Commenting on the 2021 performance, Arthur French, chairman at Ireland West Airport said: “The continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the airport’s business is evident as we experienced another year of very low passenger numbers in 2020, with numbers declining to levels last seen in the 1990s.
“The year ahead will present many challenges due to the pandemic but we can look forward with optimism following the recent positive route announcements by Ryanair and also the return to the airport of Aer Lingus.
“We welcome the new travel rules, which remove the requirement for vaccinated passengers to produce a negative Covid-19 test on arrival into Ireland. This will provide confidence and reassurance for people looking to book short breaks and holidays in 2022.
“We remain confident that with the support of our loyal customer base, Local Authority partners, stakeholders and government, the airport will hopefully enjoy a much stronger year this year.”