RYANAIR AND SHANNON GROUP have confirmed a new deal with the airline to open its first aircraft heavy maintenance facility in the country resulting in a €10m investment and the creation of 200 new jobs.
Shannon Airport will be the home of the facility with the jobs to include licensed engineers, mechanics, and support staff. Ryanair will invest €10 million in this state-of-the-art 3-bay facility, leased from Shannon Group, (5,220 m2) which will support the maintenance of Ryanair’s fleet as it grows to 600 aircraft by 2026.
The Clare Echo had previously reported in April that the parties were in negotiations to take over the hangar that was previously occupied by Lufthansa.
Shannon Group has ten fully occupied hangars at Shannon Airport, totalling 58,789 m2. The workspace at Hangar 5 is 223ft at its widest point, 328ft in length and is 79ft high at its highest point in the main section.
Director of Operations with Ryanair, Neal McMahon outlined that the investment was a pledge to support the maintenance of its fleet to 600 aircraft within four years. “This facility will create 200 high-skill jobs, demonstrating Ryanair’s continued growth & commitment to Ireland. Ryanair creates opportunities for highly skilled engineering jobs, with our industry leading rosters and the youngest fleet in Europe. Shannon is an ideal location with opportunities to attract, train and employ local talent to support this new facility. This state-of-the-art 3-bay facility represents a significant €10 million investment”.
CEO of Shannon Group, Mary Considine labelled the investment as “a vote of confidence” by Ryanair in the future of Shannon Airport. “Having Ryanair at Hangar 5, one of ten fully occupied hangars on our Shannon Campus, is another significant boost for the region, creating high quality jobs for local aviation specialists. The resulting jobs and investment are also consistent with our strategic plan to increase economic growth and retain skills and talent in the region. We have a close relationship with Ryanair, with Shannon Airport now having more destinations served by Ryanair than in 2019”.
Since 1986, Ryanair have operated from Shannon Airport since 1986, opening its base at the International Airport in 2005 and carrying over 17 million customers to/from the airport to date. Shannon is home to an aviation cluster of over 80 companies involved in MRO, corporate aviation, leasing, logistics and training.
