SHANNON AIRPORT AND AER LINGUS

mannix · August 09, 2007, 09:50:24 AM

Is this the beginning of the end for Shannon Airport?
Cork,Dublin and Knock seem better positioned geographically in my mind but Shannon airport is the rock on which all Limerick and midwest international business is built.Can someone stop the rot?

An Gaeilgoir · August 09, 2007, 10:20:57 AM

The end of Shannon came when the mandatory stop over was scrapped. This airport has only survived with handouts over the years from various governments. Look at the success of Knock without much government money. Its time Shannon stopped whinging and went out and sold their airport to the world as every buisness has to do. I cant believe the doom and gloom merchants following Aer Lingus' decision to move their slots. Of course there was government fiddling in this decision but come on,most of the rest of the country can survive without direct flights to Heathrow from their local airport. Time to stop ringing Liveline complaining about it move on and try and sell their airport to another airline.

fearglasmor · August 09, 2007, 11:53:18 AM

If you start feeding the birds in the garden you have to continue feeding as they lose the ability to forage for themselves.

Stop the feeding. A few birds will die. But the survivors will be better able to look after themselves.

Stay goalside of your man · August 09, 2007, 01:46:33 PM

The airport that is in Shannon should of been in Galway from the start.
Made no sense to put it in Limerick when Cork is not that far away.
It was doomed from the start.

FL/MAYO · August 09, 2007, 02:40:15 PM

Quote from: Stay goalside of your man on August 09, 2007, 01:46:33 PM
The airport that is in Shannon should of been in Galway from the start.
Made no sense to put it in Limerick when Cork is not that far away.
It was doomed from the start.

Knock should have been in Galway also, not on top of a mountain in the middle of Mayo that is prone to been fogged in quite often.

Donagh · August 09, 2007, 02:43:19 PM

Quote from: FL/MAYO on August 09, 2007, 02:40:15 PM
Knock should have been in Galway also, not on top of a mountain in the middle of Mayo that is prone to been fogged in quite often.

Our Lady mustn't have been able to find her way down to Galway due to the fog. Have the same problem myself, but that's usually more to do with the pubs in Sligo.

Bogball XV · August 09, 2007, 02:44:47 PM

Have yous ever heard as much total shite about the knock on economic consequences etc? Do they not realise that Cork is only down the road? Or that if things get really bad they can fly from Shannon to Dublin.
But that aside you're right, Galway would strategically have made more sense for another airport.

Hardy · August 09, 2007, 02:53:58 PM

S'pose yiz heard the story about when Mgr. Horan rang to ask the Pope to come over and do the official opening of the airport, back then? JPII said he was sorry, he was away to sniff a runway in South America, "but look, I'll patch you straight through to HQ and you can ask the man himself – I'm sure he'd be delighted to do the gig."

So Jim gets through to God and asks him can he come and do the opening on this particular weekend. "Sorry, Jim" says God, "I'm busy that Sunday, playing corner forward for Tyrone. But I'll tell you what – why don't you ask my mother? I'd say she'd love to go – she was never there before".

the Deel Rover · August 09, 2007, 02:57:27 PM

Quote from: Hardy on August 09, 2007, 02:53:58 PM
S'pose yiz heard the story about when Mgr. Horan rang to ask the Pope to come over and do the official opening of the airport, back then? JPII said he was sorry, he was away to sniff a runway in South America, “but look, I’ll patch you straight through to HQ and you can ask the man himself – I‘m sure he’d be delighted to do the gig.”

So Jim gets through to God and asks him can he come and do the opening on this particular weekend. “Sorry, Jim” says God, “I’m busy that Sunday, playing corner forward for Tyrone. But I’ll tell you what – why don’t you ask my mother? I’d say she’d love to go – she was never there before”.

bada bing bada boom

An Gaeilgoir · August 09, 2007, 03:12:36 PM

Quote from: FL/MAYO on August 09, 2007, 02:40:15 PM
Quote from: Stay goalside of your man on August 09, 2007, 01:46:33 PM
The airport that is in Shannon should of been in Galway from the start.
Made no sense to put it in Limerick when Cork is not that far away.
It was doomed from the start.

Knock should have been in Galway also, not on top of a mountain in the middle of Mayo that is prone to been fogged in quite often.

Maybe this is more of a reflection on the managment of Galway airport than Knock.... i tried to fly from Galway to Dublin a few weeks back only to be told that the last flight left at 4.30.... some state for a city airport. It wont be long until Knock will be the third biggest in the country.

Stay goalside of your man · August 09, 2007, 03:54:49 PM

It's a total balls of a situation Galway airport. It's never going to get the numbers to generate money to expand. It's always going to be a regional airport now.
It's a pity as with the population of Galway, Mayo and Clare it would be a thriving airport by now if Shannon hadn't been built.
I have been told that they where thinking of building it out the curragh line in Galway, but I don't know the truth in that.
Probably some politician got a back hander to build it in Shannon.

An Fhairche Abu · August 09, 2007, 04:25:00 PM

QuoteI have been told that they where thinking of building it out the curragh line in Galway, but I don't know the truth in that.
Probably some politician got a back hander to build it in Shannon.

There's plenty of truth in that. The airport that was built in Shannon was originally slated to be built on the curragh line outside Galway.

No better pony than Dev himself changed the location to Shannon.

An Gaeilgoir · August 09, 2007, 07:59:36 PM

Quote from: An Fhairche Abu on August 09, 2007, 04:25:00 PM
QuoteI have been told that they where thinking of building it out the curragh line in Galway, but I don't know the truth in that.
Probably some politician got a back hander to build it in Shannon.

There's plenty of truth in that. The airport that was built in Shannon was originally slated to be built on the curragh line outside Galway.

No better pony than Dev himself changed the location to Shannon.

Well you learn something new every day. Imagine if that had happened, th west of Ireland would be a very different place now!!!!!

dec · August 13, 2007, 10:06:40 PM

The Financial Times take on the event.

Aer Lingus goes for peace dividend

The recent decision by Aer Lingus to end its Shannon to Heathrow service and make Belfast its first non-Irish hub has triggered what some observers believe will be one of many commercial squabbles over the spoils of peace in Northern Ireland.

GweylTah · August 14, 2007, 12:03:34 AM

Well, the Southern State and many of its people will insist on referring to itself as "Ireland", Belfast isn't in that State, so it's no wonder others refer to the new hub as being the first "non-Irish" one.

A lot of partitionism on this Aer Lingus, Shannon v Aldergrove squabble, none of it of Unionists making, and a lot of sillyness in particular from witless Willie O'Dea.