750,000 passengers used Knock in 2018
2017 has proven to be the busiest year on record at Ireland West Airport with passenger numbers reaching 750,000 for the first time in the airports history, surpassing the previous record of 734,000 passengers achieved in 2016.
In 2017, the annual number of passengers using the airport increased by 2% to 750,000, an increase of 15,500 passengers compared to 2016. The airport now serves 23 International destinations and is served by three of Europe’s major International airlines, Aer Lingus, Flybe and Ryanair.
Despite the ongoing concerns over Brexit ,within the aviation industry in particular, the growth in passenger numbers in 2017 was fuelled by a very strong performance across the range of UK services available at the airport, with an extra 18,000 passengers travelling to and from the UK in 2017, which represented a 3% increase on 2016 numbers.
Passenger numbers using Flybes services to Birmingham and Edinburgh reached record levels whilst Aer Lingus recorded the highest number of passengers using their London Gatwick service since the route started in 2009.
The strong increases on UK services highlights the importance of the airport from a regional perspective in providing essential connectivity for leisure, tourism and business passengers reflected by the fact that the airport now serves 9 different airports across the UK which represents the biggest selection of UK services to and from the West and North West of Ireland.
Services to Continental and Mainland Europe continued to perform strongly with over 100,000 passengers availing of flights to a range of European destinations such as Alicante, Barcelona, Malaga, Lanzarote, Milan, Tenerife and the Costa Dorada service with TUI Holidays.
2017 also saw the airport begin work on a €15m facilities investment plan aimed at transforming the airport over the next three years. The investment strategy will see over €15m invested in new passenger facilities, terminal upgrades and infrastructural works across the airport facility and runway. By the end of the first quarter of 2018 almost €4m worth of major infrastructural projects, to improve the operational efficiency and to upgrade and enhance the airports facilities and services, will have been completed.
Joe Gilmore, Managing Director said: “We are delighted to have had a record year in 2017 with passenger numbers reaching 750,000 for the first time in the airports history which is good news for the regional economy, for tourism, and for job creation, both at the airport and in the wider economy. I would like to express our continued thanks to our customers, airline and tour operator partners, stakeholders, tourism groups, local authorities and Govt representatives for their ongoing support in helping us to continue to grow passenger numbers and develop international connectivity for the region.”