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State Airports

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 October 2018

Tuesday, 2 October 2018

Questions (526)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

526. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of an action (details supplied) under the Action Plan for Rural Development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39535/18]

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Written answers

As the Deputy is aware, this Action relates to arresting and reversing the decline in passenger numbers and increasing connectivity by air into and out of Cork Airport. I can confirm that after many years of declining passenger numbers, Cork Airport returned to growth in 2016, when passenger numbers grew by 8% to more than 2.23m. Since then passengers numbers have continued to grow with an increase of 3.5% during 2017, to 2.31m and an increase of 4% for the first half of this year over the same period in 2017.

New destinations from Cork Airport since 2017 include Reykjavik, Newquay, Verona, Zurich, Boston/Providence, Paris CDG and Lisbon. It is also understood that Ryanair has announced five routes commencing in 2019 from Cork to London Luton, Poznan in Poland, Budapest, Malta and Naples.

While it was disappointing that the Norwegian service to Boston/Providence, which commenced in July 2017, did not operate during winter 2018, it is good to see that the service is to return to Cork for summer 2019.

This turnaround in passenger numbers at Cork Airport is as a result of a number of initiatives which were put in place in recent years to encourage stakeholders in the region to work together and with airport management on improving the product on offer and thereby supporting services at the Airport. Indeed, in recent days the Airport's success has been recognised at the World Routes Conference in China where Cork won the prestigious World Routes 2018 Marketing Award, a global accolade recognising excellence in aviation marketing for airports in its category. It is good to see such a positive payback arising from the efforts of all concerned.

However, in order for that trend to continue, it is vital that stakeholder support is maintained, as airline services will only continue if used by the travelling public.

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