Shannon Airport passenger numbers expected to be down 86% this Christmas

*Photograph: Joe Buckley

Passenger numbers through Shannon Airport over Christmas are expected to see a drop of almost 86% on 2019 levels.

Shannon Group have predicted that just over 10,000 passengers will travel through Shannon Airport compared to the figure of 70,000 for the same period last year. Three Ryanair services operated at Shannon over the Christmas period to Stansted, Manchester and Wroclaw, however the routes to the UK were suspended due to a travel ban.

A spokesperson for Shannon Group told The Clare Echo, “2020 has been a really challenging year for the aviation and tourism sectors. Airports in Ireland and globally have been feeling the brunt of the pandemic. Passenger numbers at Shannon Airport for the first 11 months of 2020 are down 79% at just over 347,000 compared to over 1.6 million over the same period in 2019. While the planned roll-out of the vaccine is very positive news, recovery for the aviation sector will be slow.”

“Shannon Airport will be open throughout the festive season for intending passengers and is the only airport in Ireland to be operational on Christmas day. While we won’t be able to have our usual Christmas experience, our staff have readied the airport for passengers and will give them the renowned Shannon Airport welcome. The airport’s terminal building has been decorated in true festive style and in addition, the airport’s COVID-19 charter will ensure that those travelling over the festive season can feel safe when travelling through the airport. The onsite Covid-19 private testing centre at the airport, run by RocDoc, has introduced extended operating hours for Covid testing due to demand”.