BREAKING: Aer Lingus confirm return of transatlantic flights from Shannon Airport

Aer Lingus have today confirmed a Summer schedule for 2022 which includes 16* transatlantic routes, two of which are Shannon – Boston and Shannon - New York (JFK)

Shannon Group CEO Mary Considine has warmly welcomed today’s announcement which also included the confirmation that Aer Lingus will continue its Heathrow service from Shannon.

“Today is a great day for the West of Ireland economy. It is great to get these strategic routes back which support thousands of jobs across the tourism and industry sectors. Shannon to JFK and Boston are key services so to see Aer Lingus recommence these routes next year is hugely positive. These are essential routes not just from an inbound and outbound tourism viewpoint, but they are critical also from a business travel perspective. Over 40% of US FDI companies are located within Shannon Airport’s catchment and these services very much underpin that investment,” she said.

Ms Considine also welcomed the airline’s continuation of the vital Heathrow service.  “We are delighted to have the Heathrow service back here already and its continuation is very important to Shannon Airport and the wider region. This is an essential strategic route that provides vital hub connectivity for our entire region.”

She added: “It’s still early days  in our recovery but we are very encouraged by the response of our airline partners, including Aer Lingus today. This is a very significant statement regarding the importance of the Shannon market on key international routes and a most welcome and timely commitment as we continue our COVID recovery.  We have no doubt that these flights will be hugely supported from across the region and we look forward to working closely with Aer Lingus to ensure the success of their services.”

Ms Considine said that as challenging as the pandemic was for the airport and its staff, the time was spent wisely with the introduction of improvements across the Shannon campus that will ensure an enhanced customer experience in recovery. 

“Our new airport security screening system, for example, will ensure a quick, smoother and easier experience for our passengers, halving the time they spend in this area. This, along with our combined USA TSA and Europe security screening, gives Shannon a unique edge over other airports internationally and lives up to our brand promise to make our airport experience even easier,” says Ms. Considine.

Aer Lingus’ most recent consumer survey conducted in September showed that almost 2 in 3 (65%) adults in Ireland are planning to travel internationally in 2022, whether that’s to reconnect with family and friends, to have that important business meeting in-person, or to simply enjoy a relaxing and refreshing break abroad. 

The welcome return of flying to North America

Anticipating strong customer demand for travel to / from North America, following 18 months of travel restrictions, direct flights are available to favourite destinations such as New York, Chicago, Boston, LA, San Francisco, Toronto, Washington, Seattle and Philadelphia from as little as €169 each way including taxes and charges. Aer Lingus will re-introduce flying from Shannon in March to JFK and Boston with 14 flights per week to the USA.

Speaking about the new Summer 2022 schedule, Reid Moody, Chief Strategy and Planning Officer said

“This is an ambitious schedule for Summer 2022 and an important step for the airline, and the country, as we reconnect Ireland to the world. We know from our customer research that Irish people are very keen to get back flying, and we certainly are looking forward to welcoming them on board again.

“Month by month, we can see more and more people taking to the skies again.  We’re confident that the demand is there for travel next year, and that is reflected in our announcement today.

“We can assure everyone that we continue to deploy all of our health and safety measures from check-in through to boarding, and on-board the aircraft.  We are also delighted to announce the extension of our market-leading book with confidence policy, giving customers the option to change flights for free* up to seven days before they fly.”