Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary makes quite a landing in Mayo

Michael O’Leary was in jubilant form as he stepped off a specially chartered Boeing 737 in Ireland West Airport Airport, Knock. 

Wearing a Mayo GAA jersey, he exclaimed, “Welcome to sunny Knock” as the rain drizzled down. 

His flying visit was to mark 40 years of commercial flights since the airport first opened in 1986. Over that period of the last 40 years, Ryanair has carried over twelve million passengers to/from Knock.

“This is one of the great success stories of Irish tourism”, the Ryanair CEO told the gathered press pack. 

“Nobody believed that you could build an airport on a bog on top of the hill in the west of Ireland, and even if it was going to be built, then nobody would come and use it.

"And working together, Ryanair and Knock have just proven all the naysayers over the last 40 years wrong”

He described the partnership between Ryanair and Knock Airport as being “one of the great successes of Irish tourism.”

“It is incredible that this summer, Ryanair will be operating its largest ever schedule to and from Knock airport.”

He believes that there's room for further growth in Knock, particularly for inbound passengers from Europe. 

As well as meeting and posing for photos with both Aer Lingus and Ryanair passengers, Mr O'Leary also bumped into Mayo GAA star Aidan O'Shea, who was going on his first holiday with his young daughter Romee and wife Kristin McKenzie Vass.

Ryanair continues to invest in and grow at Ireland West Airport, Knock.

In Summer 2026, Ryanair expects to carry one million passengers to/from Knock, and will account for some 95% of Knock Airport’s total traffic, which in 2026 will exceed one million passengers for the first time ever.

This Summer, Ryanair will operate 17 routes to/from Knock, with eight routes to/from the UK and nine routes to/from Europe.

Welcoming Michael O’Leary to the airport Managing Director of Ireland West Airport, Joe Gilmore, said:  “We would like to welcome Michael to the airport to mark the 40th anniversary and to recognise the long term business relationship the airport has had with Ryanair since their first service departed the airport in December 1986, this relationship continues to be strong today with the airline serving 17 destinations from the airport, and last year celebrated the wonderful milestone of carrying their 12 millionth passenger through the airport.

"This summer Ryanair will operate their biggest ever schedule from the airport, and we look forward to continuing this strong partnership and to growing our network of routes and services with Ryanair in the future.”

Ryanair will fly to eight airports in the UK: London STN, London LTN, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, East Midlands, Bristol, Birmingham

Ryanair’s summer schedule will fly to eight airports in Europe: Malaga, Alicante, Tenerife, Milan, Cologne, Faro, Barcelona, Palma and Lanzarote

Pictured above from left to right: Arthur French, Chairperson of Connaught Airport Development Company, Colette Concannon, station manager, Ryanair, at Ireland West Airport, Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair and Joe Gilmore, managing director, Ireland West Airport.