Shannon Airport witnessed its highest passenger numbers in over a decade, 902,603 passengers from January to June 2023, reporting a 41% increase compared to last year. The next highest record for passenger traffic over the year's first half was in 2009.
The June 2023, passenger figures for Shannon Airport were 32% higher compared with June 2022 and 10% higher than June 2019. June also saw the airport's busiest day in seven years as 8,565 passengers traversed through Shannon on June 23.
Mary Considine, chief executive, Shannon Airport Group said: “The first six months of this year have been our busiest for this period, in over a decade. With the highest number of passengers recorded for this period since 2009, we are thrilled to witness the resounding success of our 2023 Summer Schedule, and our network of 35 destinations to the UK, Europe and the US for this year.”
"We remain committed to offering world-class services and an easy, seamless travel experience for our passengers. The future looks bright as we rebound strongly in the aftermath of the pandemic, and this is driven by our committed staff, and the support and trust of our passengers and partners alike,” Considine added.
May also saw a significant passenger increase, as traffic rose 27% compared to May 2022.
The airport also saw launch of many new routes offering 35 destinations in 11 countries. Aer Lingus will fly from County Clare airport to Shannon from September while the airline will operate on the new Paris Charles de Gaulle route deploying its A321LR.
United Airlines restarted services from its hub at Chicago O'Hare International Airport after a six-year hiatus using its Boeing 757-200 aircraft. The carrier also continues to fly to Shannon from Newark daily
Ryanair has also based a third aircraft at the airport increasing its selection of destinations from Shannon to 27, up 42% from 2019.