RYANAIR has announced an increased winter schedule for its Shannon Airport base which includes a new route linking Ireland and England.
Two new routes were confirmed in its winter 23/24 schedule at Shannon, one to Faro and the other to Liverpool.
Elsewhere on the schedule, Ryanair has increased frequencies on six of its most popular routes, namely Alicante, Krakow, Lanzarote, Malaga, Tenerife and Wroclaw.
The no-frills Irish airline will also base one of its new ‘Gamechanger’ aircraft at the airport for winter, bringing its total Shannon-based fleet to three.
“It is great to be in Shannon announcing more growth, investment and jobs for the mid-west with the launch of Ryanair’s winter 23/24 schedule. With 18 routes on offer, including our new Faro and Liverpool routes for winter, our mid-west customers can avail of a wide range of winter sun or exciting city breaks at Ryanair’s infamously low fares,” Ryanair’s Director of Digital & Marketing, Dara Brady, said.
“To support this growth, Ryanair will base one new Gamechanger aircraft at Shannon Airport for winter 23/24, bringing our total fleet at Shannon Airport to three aircraft.”
He added: “Our highly sought-after Gamechangers represent the newest tech aircraft available, reducing CO2 emissions by 16 per cent and noise emissions by 40 per cent, as well as carrying 4 per cent more passengers.
“This not only represents a $300m investment and creates 30 new jobs in Shannon but demonstrates our long-term commitment to Shannon Airport and the mid-west region.
“Efficient operations and competitive airport charges provide the foundation from which Ryanair can deliver long-term traffic growth and increased connectivity.
“We have worked directly with our partners at Shannon Airport to agree terms which will deliver growth and investment, including the opening of our €10 million maintenance facility in May last year – our first in Ireland – and improved services for those that live, work, or wish to visit the mid-west region of Ireland.”
Speaking at the launch of Ryanair’s Winter Schedule for Shannon Airport, Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ryanair’s exciting winter schedule for Shannon Airport, including the addition of an extra aircraft and 18 routes, among them new winter routes to Liverpool and Faro.
“This announcement is a testament to our strong partnership with Ryanair. Their investment, supporting over 1,000 jobs, highlights their significant economic impact. We look forward to continuing our partnership with them, providing increased connectivity for business and leisure throughout the winter months.”
Ryanair has operated to and from Shannon for the past 35 years, carrying over 18 million passengers to date and has invested heavily in the region, including its state-of-the-art three-bay maintenance facility – a €10 million investment – which created 200 high-skill local jobs.
