The Department of Transport says it’s ‘considering’ a request to provide a Shannon to Amsterdam route as a Public Service Obligation.
It comes after the airport was given a significant boost by being allocated funding under the Regional Airports Programme once again for 2023.
Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton’s confirmed to the Oireachtas it is considering the possibility of establishing a PSO to provide EU hub connectivity from Shannon Airport.
Under the scheme, financial support is provided to airlines to operate what are considered ‘essential’ services in isolated areas.
The initiative’s seen a drastic reduction in Ireland across the last decade, with the only PSO route in the country now operating between Donegal and Dublin.
As such, the Department says the move would mark a ‘significant shift’ in policy, with the impact on the Exchequer needing to be considered, as well as similar routes operating between other regional airports, such as Cork’s current daily service to the Dutch capital.
It’s also been confirmed that Regional Airports Programme funding will be allocated to Shannon within Budget 2023,
The Minister says while she’s satisfied ‘substantial’ State support to Shannon sees it well positioned for recovery and growth, she is still asking her officials to ‘expedite’ the request of an EU hub route between the Midwest and Amsterdam.
