Confidence is being expressed that the long awaited return of Delta airlines to Shannon Airport will bring a major economic boost to the MidWest region.
It’s after the US airline’s first flight from Shannon in five years took to the skies this afternoon.
The new service is anticipated to increase passenger footfall at Shannon Airport by 46,000 this summer, with a direct daily flight scheduled to and from New York every single day.
Having been the first Irish airport that Delta chose to fly into in 1986, the US Airline last operated the New York JFK route from Shannon in 2019.
The re-launch of the service is already going down a treat with frequent visitors to Ireland, who benefitting from the new gateway to the MidWest.
Serge from New York who is a member of the Waterville Golf Club in Kerry says the new route will be a vital access point for him and his teammates.
Irish tourists will always benefit from the route, including for Keelan who’s hoping to realise the “American Dream.”
The service was originally due to be operated by a Boeing 757 aircraft, but Delta took the decision to opt for the larger 767 model instead, which has 23 extra seats on board and will now carry 3,024 passengers per week.
Delta Ireland Head of Sales Nadia Clinton says their decision to return to Shannon was driven by huge demand for a new gateway for visitors to the Irish West Coast.
Shannon Airport will operate 33 routes from 11 countries as part of its summer schedule this year, with increased capacity on nine services to provide 200,000 additional seats, including a Gran Canaria route operated by Ryanair for the first time.
Shannon Airport Group CEO Mary Considine insists Shannon is well-placed to take pressure off Dublin Airport and is confident of soon expanding connectivity for customers in the MidWest.
You can listen to the full interview with Shannon Airport Group CEO Mary Considine here:
You can listen to the full report below.
