HAPPY DAYS An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary in jovial mood at yesterday’s launch.?
Pic: Keith Heneghan/Phocus
Knock gets four new Ryanair routes
Trevor Quinn
Ryanair announced yesterday (Monday) that it will operate flights from Knock to Barcelona, Frankfurt, Milan and Paris from March 2012. The announcement has been welcomed as a major boost to tourism and business connectivity in Mayo.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny was at the airport with Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O’Leary to unveil details of the flights. He said the new routes will make Mayo and the west of Ireland far more accessible and attractive to foreign visitors from Spain, France, Germany and Italy.
Mr Joe Gilmore, Managing Director Ireland West Airport Knock, said he was absolutely delighted to welcome the new services from four of Europe’s biggest markets in partnership with Ryanair. He added, “We wish to acknowledge the support of Government through its agencies and political representatives in ensuring these important services were put in place, and in particular Minister Ring and Niall Gibbons, CEO Tourism Ireland who deserve special mention.”
Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring TD said the announcement was a very positive development for tourism and business. “Our Mainland European markets are performing particularly well with visits up by over 12 per cent for the first nine months of 2011. We are determined to ensure this growth continues into 2012, and the new routes announced today are very welcome in this regard.”
Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said that the introduction of the new Ryanair routes was fantastic news. “We have seen very welcome growth of more than 12 per cent in visitors from Mainland Europe to Ireland for the first nine months of 2011. At the end of this month, we will outline our plans for 2012, when we will be pulling out all the stops to build on this growth and working to ensure that the west of Ireland, and the entire island, increases its share of the global travel business.”
After the recent official announcement to scrap decentralisation by the Government and the loss of a reported 140 civil servant jobs which were due to be relocated to Charlestown, this news will be very welcome on an economic level, said Fine Gael TD John O’Mahony.
“It’s a good news story for Mayo and the whole region,” O’Mahony said, “but it is a particularly significant announcement for East Mayo. It will ensure that more jobs are created – and this area needs jobs especially, as a result of the cancellation of decentralisation which was expected to benefit Charlestown.”
From March 27, flights from Ireland West Airport Knock to Paris (Beauvais), Frankfurt (Hahn) and Barcelona (Girona) will depart every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. From March 25, flights to Milan (Bergamo) will operate every Wednesday and Sunday.