MID-WEST sunseekers feel cheated that they have to travel to Dublin to board flights to the popular Costa Blanca region. It is reported that local families who had invested in properties in Spanish resorts are now selling up because of the absence of Shannon flights. And in a further blow to Shannon, Ryanair is to provide access to Knock Airport from key European cities, including Barcelona, Paris, Frankfurt and Milan.
Hundreds of local families who had previously bought holiday homes on the strength of Ryanair servicing Shannon with Alicante, are fuming that they can no longer access their getaway spots. The ‘low-cost’ airline has now withdrawn flights from all Irish airports to the holiday hotspot of Alicante due to a row relating to the use of air bridges.
One Limerick woman who bought a holiday home at the Costa Blanca destination in 2008, said the flights from Shannon had always been completely full.
“There used to be two full flights a week from Shannon to Murcia and Alicante,” she told the Limerick Post.
“It was great for the airport’s restaurants, shops and other facilities as people came from all over Munster and Galway to take the flights.
“Ryanair have now pulled all flights to Alicante from Ireland, including the Dublin route, due to end in March.
“I feel particularly sorry for elderly people or those with young families who bought holiday homes in Alicante and can’t get there.
She believes that the airport should give Ryanair what it wants to get the routes back.
“I was at the airport flying to Birmingham and there were three people in the once packed restaurant and about 20 cars in the car park.
“When we returned there were no lights on, and they just switched one when the baggage carousel started.
“At the moment there is nowhere to fly for a weekend break, apart from London”.
Cllr Patrick C Fitzgerald (Ind) is outraged that Shannon has been overlooked in favour of Knock.
“I want to ask the Taoiseach where he stands on the airport.
“Something has to be done because this is having knock-on affects for the entire region”.
However, Shannon town councillor and airport taxi driver Sean McLoughlin, believes things can turn around if the airport gets a new management structure.
“We all know that Ryanair promised five million passengers at Shannon and didn’t deliver.
“They then threw a tantrum and left Shannon high and dry, so I would say to Knock that Ryanair comes with a warning on the packet.
In a submission made to the minister, Cllr McLoughlin called for the relevant local authorities, the Foynes Port Company and Shannon Development to come together to run the airport and that it be removed from the DAA.
“We need a viable airport and to do that we need to attract airlines, which isn’t happening”.
