asked the Minister for Transport if a study has been undertaken or will be undertaken into the feasibility of establishing a major international air cargo centre at Shannon Airport and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers - Shannon Airport.
272.
A study in this matter was undertaken in 1979 by a joint Aer Rianta/ SFADCo task force which found that the establishment of a major cargo centre at Shannon is not feasible at present. The study is continuing and full advantage will be taken of any opportunities which may arise for the development of freight traffic at the airport.
273.
asked the Minister for Transport the proposals, if any, he has for the establishment of an aviation college at Shannon Airport and the steps taken to date in this regard.
At my request, Aer Lingus are undertaking an examination of the feasibility of establishing an aviation college at Shannon Airport.
274.
asked the Minister for Transport if he will designate Shannon Airport Ireland's sole transatlantic airport and, if not, why.
Shannon has always been designated as Ireland's sole transatlantic airport and it is firm Government policy to maintain it as such.
275.
asked the Minister for Transport the present Government policy in relation to the granting of landing rights at Shannon Airport to non-scheduled and charter carriers.
Talks with the US authorities at the end of March last resulted in a new understanding on charter operations. Heretofore Aer Lingus charter authorisation has been confined to the three gateways, New York, Boston and Chicago. This limitation has been removed by the US authorities and Aer Lingus are now free to operate charter flights to Ireland from any point in the United States. In a reciprocal move I have agreed not to apply the on route control system under which the designated scheduled carriers previously enjoyed a right of first refusal in respect of charter flights from the three gateways. This liberalisation of charter operations, subject to compliance with normal charter worthiness rules, should provide Aer Lingus and the US carriers with opportunities for expansion of traffic between the two countries.
276.
asked the Minister for Transport (a) the number of applications for landing rights at Shannon Airport received by his Department in (i) 1978, (ii) 1979, (iii) the first quarter of 1980, (b) the number of applications which have been granted and (c) the number refused and the grounds for refusal.
(a) Applications lodged for landing rights at Shannon amounted to 371 passenger charter flights and 95 cargo charter flights in 1978, 459 passenger and 125 cargo charter flights in 1979, and 220 passenger and 24 cargo charter flights in the first quarter of 1980.
(b) Approvals for 1,277 flights were granted.
(c) The remaining 17 flights, which were for the carriage of livestock, were refused on grounds that the Irish carrier (Aer Turas) had the capacity to carry the traffic. The refusals resulted in no loss to Shannon because the Irish carrier provided the service.
277.
asked the Minister for Transport if reconstruction or other work is urgently required on the runways at Shannon Airport and, if so, the extent of the work necessary and the date on which work will commence.
There are two runways in operation at Shannon Airport, the main Runway 06/24 and the subsidiary Runway 14/32. Runway 06/24 caters for the vast majority of aircraft movements at the airport, that is, transatlantic, European and domestic commercial services. At present there is no reconstruction or other work urgently required on this runway.
Due to settlement of the subsoil and the increased loading imposed on the runway pavement by larger and heavier aircraft over the past decade, the level and smoothness of the surface of the subsidiary runway has deteriorated. Operations on it are now confined to lighter type aircraft. Reconstruction of this runway to cater for heavier aircraft used on cross-Channel and European services would require very heavy capital expenditure. Such traffic would use the reconstructed runway only when the main runway was not available due to severe crosswind conditions. Such conditions now arise only very occasionally as present-day jet aircraft can cope with crosswind conditions much better than the propeller type aircraft in use when the runways at Shannon were constructed. The capital expenditure which would be required for the construction of the runway would not be justified.
The need for reconstruction of the runways is kept under constant review in my Department.