Shannon welcome for Airport separation announcement

The Chairman of the Aviation Business Development Task Force, Rose Hynes has welcomed the announcement today of the government decision to separate Shannon Airport from the DAA by year end.

The announcement was made as details of the plan for the new entity were unveiled. The five year plan is based around sustainable passenger growth to 2.5million passengers within five years and the development of the International Aviation Services Center at Shannon (IASC). The plan, which has been robustly tested and validated by KPMG on behalf of the Department of Transport, anticipates the creation of up to 3,000 jobs within a three to five year period across a cluster of diverse international, primarily aviation, related business centered on the airport and building on the existing cluster of 40 aviation related companies working at Shannon.

Welcoming the announcement today, Ms Hynes confirmed that, pending separation, 1,000 of those posts have already been committed by two existing Shannon based companies, one of which involves 800 plus jobs within three years. “This is the beginning of a new era for Shannon Airport. December 31st 2012 has now been set as the date for the separation of Shannon. This will be followed by the second phase of the process, the merging of the Airport with activities of a restructured Shannon Development. “The immediate focus of the separated Shannon Airport will be the growth of passenger numbers but the future for Shannon will also involve the development of innovative new business streams, with strong job creation potential. “We have spent the past five months working towards separation. The process has involved discussions, many of which are at an advanced stage, with airline partners and industry, both of which are committed to investing in Shannon pending separation. We now look forward to advancing these solid commitments and creating a sustainable future for the benefit of Shannon Airport, its staff, customers and the region.”

Commenting on the cabinet decision, Shannon Airport Director Mary Considine said: “Today is a pivotal step in the process of separation. The focus of staff and management at Shannon Airport has been on ensuring that the airport is financially and operationally ready for separation. We will continue to build on the momentum of recent gains in passenger services whilst growing a range of commercial opportunities. “This entire process is all about securing a sustainable future for all the stakeholders of the Airport and that Shannon Airport delivers on its role as a key economic driver for the West of Ireland.”