Today, Thursday, March 15th, 2007, Ireland West Airport Knock welcomed the announcement by Pat the Cope Gallagher, T.D., Minister of State for Transport that Bus Éireann has been approved by the Department to introduce a number of new services and re-route existing services to serve Ireland West Airport Knock. This announcement comes after Ireland West Airport Knock successfully lobbied the Government for these much needed routes to make the airport more accessible for passengers in the BMW region. Ireland West Airport Knock has the distinction of being the only international airport serving the EU designated Border, Midland and Western region of Ireland and links the West and North West of
Ireland with the UK, European continental and soon US destinations.
The Airport currently has a Bus Éireann air coach service to Charlestown, Co. Mayo which was launched in June 2004. Since then, the Airport has experienced phenomenal growth in passenger numbers and with the commencement of the scheduled transatlantic flights in May these new services are needed more than ever. As well as the air coach to Charlestown, Ireland West Airport Knock will facilitate the following return services:
• Galway to Derry
• Sligo to Ireland West Airport
• Sligo to Galway
• Letterkenny to Galway
• Westport to Ireland West Airport
Commenting on the announcement Minister Gallagher said: “These services that have been approved today will offer a greater choice to the people of the West and North West using Ireland West Airport Knock. I am confident that they will also help business in the areas as well as balancing regional development.”
Welcoming the announcement Liam Scollan, Managing Director, Ireland West Airport Knock said: “This is a very significant and fundamental development for Ireland West Airport Knock. It is our objective to make the Airport accessible to all in our catchment area so that the Airport will benefit everyone in the BMW region. Our lobby to introduce a number of key bus routes into Ireland West Airport Knock would not have come to a successful conclusion if it had not been for the tremendous efforts of all those that gave their support. I would like to take this opportunity to thank in particular Minister Martin Cullen, T.D.; Minister Pat the Cope Gallagher; John Carty, T.D.; and Rory Leahy, Area Manager, Bus Éireann."
The new bus services is a positive development in the ambitious ongoing development plan which will see Ireland West Airport Knock further strengthen its position as the main international air access gateway for the West/North West and Midlands region.
Welcoming the announcement, Kevin Corrigan, Commercial Development Manager, Ireland West Airport Knock said: “This is the first major public transport routes linking directly to the Airport. The new routes will go some way to addressing the public transport deficit which has been evident at the Airport in the past.
These new routes in conjunction with the new air routes recently launched to the Airport by flyglopespan to New York and Boston will open up Ireland’s Western & North Western Regions even more as a holiday destination. The bus routes are particularly important for short break tourists and will assist the Airport and tourist agencies in maximising the inbound tourism potential to a wider area in the catchment of the airport which stretches from West Meath to Westport and Donegal to Galway. The key for development of the airport and the region in the future is total integration between Ireland West Airport Knock and all the public transport options in the catchment area.
In addition, these bus routes will provide a valuable service to our outbound scheduled customers as well as our holiday charter customers which will grow to some 90,000 passengers in 2007.”
Further information on the new scheduled bus routes will be announced shortly.
Additional Supporting Information
New Bus Éireann Routes via Ireland West Airport Knock:
Galway/Derry Route via Ireland West Airport Knock
• enhancing the existing Galway to Derry service to operate 7 services Galway/Derry and 6 services Derry/Galway daily, all of which would operate via Ireland West Airport Knock
Sligo/ Ireland West Airport Knock
• introducing 2 new daily return services from Sligo to Ireland West Airport Knock
Sligo/Galway via Ireland West Airport Knock
• Introducing 1 additional daily return service from Sligo to Galway, that will operate via Ireland West Airport Knock
Letterkenny/Galway via Ireland West Airport Knock
• Introducing a daily 6.00am service from Letterkenny to Galway, that will operate via Ireland West Airport Knock
Westport/Ireland West Airport Knock
• Introducing 1 daily return service from Westport to Ireland West Airport Knock
Charlestown /Ireland West Airport Knock
• Introducing 2 daily return services from Charlestown to Ireland West Airport Knock
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