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IRELAND’S WEST KNOCK Airport said today it recorded its busiest month ever with a total of 102,774 passengers passing through the terminal in August.
This is the first time in the airport’s 28 year history that more than 100,0000 people have used it in a calendar month.
The August landmark follows record numbers in July – an 18% increase on the previous year.
August traffic to and from the UK was up 21% on August 2013, while passenger traffic to and from mainland and continental Europe increased by 16%. The airport’s main airline partners, Flybe, Aer Lingus, Ryanair and Germanwings showed an increase in passenger numbers and record load factors compared to last August.
The airport said it is now on track to have its busiest year yet, expecting passenger numbers to reach 700,000 for the first time.
“It’s a very proud milestone to reach 100,000 passengers in a month and milestones like this demonstrate that passengers are increasingly choosing the convenience of flying from their regional airport when the flights and holidays they want become available and also for those overseas visitors who want to fly directly into the heart of the West of Ireland,” commented Managing Director of the airport, Joe Gilmore.
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The story of Knock Airport should be drilled in to every child.
A man with a vision of good for his area decided to do the impossible and build an airport where a mountain bog was, and to much derision and talk of “foolishness”, “that’ll never work” and “get real”. Those 3 phrases being the Irish trilogy of self pity.
Monsignor Horan, you legend.
Well said Seanie but the doom & gloom merchants are alive and well today, pedalling their misery to all gullible enough to listen to it. Sinn Fein politics thrives on negatively and a no we can not attitude.
Well done Knock and the west you’re clearly wide awake
All Irish political parties thrive on a “we couldn’t do that” or shur that’ll never work”.
People here were so beat down for so long from all powers above that an awful lot haven’t an ounce of confidence or self belief.
Conformity to the herd and not trying to change things, lest the world end have been the hallmarks of Irish politics since the 1950′s, bar a few rare glimmers.
I no longer believe that FF.FG or Lab. are capable of or even want to do the best for Ireland. We badly need new parties. I’m not comfortable with Socialism so who do I vote for.
Socialism? Are you referring to Sinn Fein?
Anyway, we’re a fairly socialist country. The banks operated here unregulated (Laissez-faire) and when their ‘ar*e was out the window’, the people coughed up. Not content to sink on their own, they took us with them. Well, at least they learned their lesson. Ha!
You’re right about us Irish being beaten down. We’re not as quick to get out and protest, in the full knowledge that this is OUR country. Unlike the French who have no qualms about standing in the streets, making demands of their political leaders. Just like the anecdote, we’re similar to that frog in the water that’s slowly being heated to boiling. (I know it has been debunked, but the premise still stands)
One other thing. Many Irish people have zero interest in politics (“It’s boring”) and there’s no civic education. Political news is more readily available and palatable in the US, for example, with people like John Oliver, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Bill Maher mixing politics with comedy, to great effect. What do we have here? /crickets
Vincent Browne was great when he was on (I think he should be back soon 8th Sep), but it might be an idea to have someone like Dave McSavage present a programme similar to those mentioned above.
“[W]e’re a fairly socialist country. The banks operated here unregulated.” So, you don’t know what socialism is, then, do you? Yes, the debts were “socialised”. But that word is linked to “society” and not “socialism”. Socialism involves a lot of regulations. What we have is a silly, combined form of the worst elements of socialism, capitalism and corporatism.
It is probably worth mentioning that certain investors during the Cold War wanted a runway in a fairly isolated part of Western Europe that might be able to land and refuel B-52s given the need!
This could very well have a two fold connection. The Wild Atlantic Way must have some influence on this as would the 135yr anniversary since the visions appeared in Knock. This is great news for tourism and clearly shows we need more activities to target those niche markets.
‘Visions’.
As Miley would have said, “well holy God”.
Fantastic little airport. I use it every time I am travelling( if flights are a available to my destination)
The west is wide awake and hopefully we will see loads of people who emigrated comming back through the gates in the comming years.
A few years back I heard rumours about transatlantic flights from Knock. Is that still going to happen of was the idea scrapped?
There were scheduled Flights to Boston and New York a number of years ago but the airlines went bust and were a bad airlines (FlyGlobespan) which was a pity. Talk that the airport management team are hoping to re introduce flights to the US.
You can’t Knock that… impressive!
Exactly John…. €10 for every adult man & woman…. Some days you would see easily 500-600 people in lobby, every Sunday at least… Maybe €30,000 €40,000 a day every day… Saying that, I’m pretty sure the likes of Ryanair don’t get charged to fly to airport, seducing them in as it were… Its a great service Maybe 5 quid a man is plenty from now on…..
Lot of companies like McHale engineering etc etc need that airport to drive their international sales, which is 90% of their business. High end manufacturing and a product range that is respected all over the world.
That one business alone covers the cost of the subsidy, add in the rest and tourists etc etc.
It is the cheapest and most investment that a country could ever make.
All airports charge customers to use their premises. But the majority of airports use the airline to collect it on their behalf and put it on the price of the ticket.
Dublin airport charge between €9.62 and €12.28 depending on use of airbridge and time of year. Knock airport provide full disclosure to its customers.
Additionally, and the main reason for charging it in person, was due to the fact the airlines were charging a handling fee so Knock airport were not receiving the full amount. Sad to say, but it is cheaper to employ a person to collect in person than to pay the handling fee to get the airlines to collect it.
in all the times ive used knock airport ive never seen a round baler on the luggage carousel.
No of course not ya goose.
The still fly sales people in an out, techs etc etc.
Your comment is totally inaccurate tom
Can you tell me what is inaccurate?
I have already posted it based on information provided by the airport themselves this morning
There was/is never any discussion on connecting Knock to the rail network. No Irish airport has a rail station. Could be an expensive initial outlay but I reckon it would attract huge numbers who currently don’t use the facility.
It would be a great idea. Anything that has the potential to improve our economy overall and make a good return is not expensive, no matter the no. size.
I would love to know how much we have paid,since it opened,to the airport levy.
Hundreds of millions/
And where is it all gone?
When you look at comments and misery seekers like this, awful way for a person to live.
People who refuse to look at the obvious like 700k people a year, driving business in the locality and exports, tourists bringing in revenue, families meeting up etc etc etc. The massive benefit it brings to Ireland.
Some people are so far gone that there is no point in trying to resurrect them, let them wallow in the hole.
Life still goes on.
Where is it all gone.
Sure don’t things like that run themselves for free.
Jesus truly fuc8ing wept.
A cargo handling facility should be next on the agenda. That would really make it some wedge.
What cargo airlines would fly out of there or passenger airlines with the cargo capacity in the belly? Knock is a regional airport and with the exception of some Ryanair flights to mainland Europe.
Oh yeh, that key anniversary really must have affected the numbers. 135, the magic number (the kryptonite anniversary for you married folk). Not like 134, when nobody came.
That picture must be over 20 years old. Try finding a more up to date one and not the one of the cattle at Dublin airport.
But it was probably the last time a picture was taken on a sunny day at the airport.
I am sick of the e10 levy a knock airport .is it a legal requirement to pay it?
No of course it’s not a legal requirement, it’s only if you want to use the airport. So if you’re really that sick of a 10 quid fee, I’m sure you can see a way to avoid it, unless of course the convenience of the airport is actually worth more than a tenner to you, but you would still just rather someone else pay.
Every airport in the country has the levy. Most airports in the world have levies.
Why should Knock be different.
You’d be paying more flying from Dublin but wouldn’t notice it added on to the ticket.
Silent Majority.
He’ll have to get a ferry and drive if he wants to avoid airport levies.
how do i or you for that matter know that there is not already a levy added to the ticket and why is it touted as a development fee?
rather than rely on the knowledge of bums whose lives revolve around commenting on social media,, i rang irl west airport and asked them about their e10charge. this charge is in place to counter balance government funding paid to larger airports all taxes and levies relating to fares are the same in irl west as in any other airport
Shaun.
Will you ever get your head out of your a788.
You should be on here thanking the airport, thanking the people who founded it, who use it. Delighting in a measly ten Euro charge for the benefit it brings everybody in the west coast.
Some people here just love to find the cloud on even the sunniest day.
i am one of the regular users of the airport why am i expected to pay e10that somebody flying out of dublin or cork isnt
They should put an airport near the holy stump of rathkeale… oh wait!
A ferry port would be more appropriate there, caravans can’t be transported on planes!
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