Ireland West Airport Knock

Ireland West Airport Knock
Ireland West Airport Knock
Aerfort Iarthar Éireann
Irelandwestairportknocklogo.gif
IATA: NOCICAO: EIKN
NOC is located in Ireland
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NOC
Location of airport in Ireland
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner/Operator Connacht Airport Development Company Ltd
Serves Connacht, Ireland
Location Charlestown
Elevation AMSL 665 ft / 203 m
Coordinates 53°54′37″N 008°49′07″W / 53.91028°N 8.81861°W / 53.91028; -8.81861 (Horan International Airport)Coordinates: 53°54′37″N 008°49′07″W / 53.91028°N 8.81861°W / 53.91028; -8.81861 (Horan International Airport)
Website www.irelandwestairport.com
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
09/27 2,340 7,700 Asphalt
Source: Irish AIS[1]

Ireland West Airport Knock (Irish: Aerfort Iarthar Éireann) is an airport located 3 NM (5.6 km; 3.5 mi)[1] south-west of Charlestown, County Mayo, Ireland. 630,000 passengers used the airport in 2008.[2] The airport was formerly known as Knock International Airport, Connacht Regional Airport, and Horan International Airport. Connaught Aero Club[3] and Shoreline Aviation are based at the airport.

Contents

History

The airport was officially opened on 30 May 1986, however the first commercial flights operated seven months earlier on 25 October 1985 in the form of three Aer Lingus charter flights to Rome.[4] The opening followed a long campaign by Monsignor James Horan.[4] The airport was intended to bring employment to an impoverished corner of Ireland, as well as allow pilgrims to visit the nearby Roman Catholic Knock Shrine which commemorates an apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1879.

A bmibaby Boeing 737-300 lands from Manchester in Knock

Ryanair commenced flights to London Luton during 1986, with a route to London Stansted added in 1992. By 1988, over 100,000 passengers had passed through the airport. In 1995 Aer Lingus commenced flights to Birmingham.[4]

In June 2003 hundreds of people gathered at Knock International Airport to view a Boeing 747 land with 500 returning pilgrims from Lourdes. It was the second 747 to land at Knock.[citation needed]

Recent years

Since 2003, low-cost and regional airlines including MyTravelLite, Bmibaby, Ryanair, Aer Arann and EasyJet have added several daily flights linking the airport with UK destinations, and though not all routes proved successful by 2005 the airport was handling 500,000 passengers per annum.[4]

Knock was voted Ireland's best regional airport in 2009 and again in 2006 by the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland.[4]

2007 was a record year for the airport, with scheduled transatlantic services to New York and Boston commenced during May 2007, operated by the now defunct airline Flyglobespan.[5]

In 2008 a record 629,000 passengers used the airport, a 13% rise compared to the previous year.[4]

Since the installation of the Category II | Instrument Landing System in April 2009 and up to January 2010, only five flights had been diverted to other airports due to poor visibility conditions.[6]

In recent years Ryanair have grown operations at the airport and is the largest airline to serve the airport with 12 scheduled routes. Ryanair commenced a service to Alicante in June 2009, the airport's first scheduled continental European service.[7] Ryanair added Faro and Reus (Barcelona) routes in May 2010[8]

August 2009 was the busiest month in the airport for three years, with 81,000 passengers using the airport. Also, the 28th of August was the busiest day in the airport's history with over 4,500 passengers using the facility on that day.

In 2011, the month of August was the busiest in the airport's history with 84,052 passengers using the airport. 2011 is expected to be the busiest year since the establishment of the facility. [9]

On September 12th 2011 Ryanair celebrated the airlines 4 millionth passenger through the airport. [10]

On September 14th 2011, Lufthansa announced it would be commencing weekly flights between Düsseldorf and Knock from 7 May 2012. [11]

Government assistance

On 21 February 2007, the Government of Ireland announced that it was giving 27 million of capital grant money to Ireland West Airport.

The Airport has stated that it will continue the implementation of its €46 million infrastructural investment programme with over €20 million of spend anticipated for 2008. Work will commence on a number of significant civil and building projects in this year. A €5.5 million extension to the terminal building was completed in April 2009. A extension to the apron will see this more than double in size has commenced. The implementation of Category II Instrument Landing System (CAT II ILS) on runway 27, which will enhance the reliability of the Airport in low visibility conditions, is completed and approved. An extension to the Runway Ends Safety Areas (RESAs) and runway turnpad was completed in 2008. The airport expects to install a cat 1 ILS on runway 09 with a cat 3 lighting system in 2010-2011.

An additional "Development Fee" of €10 is charged to all departing passengers aged 12 years and over.

In 2005 the airport changed its name to Ireland West Airport Knock. As of August 2009 the Aeronautical Information Publication, including the aeronautical charts available at European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, show as Ireland West.[1]

Airlines and destinations

[12]

Note: † denotes charter airlines and their destinations

Airlines Destinations
Aer Lingus London-Gatwick
Air Europa Seasonal: Lanzarote
Bmibaby Birmingham
Flybe Edinburgh, Manchester
Flybe operated by Loganair Sumburgh
Lufthansa Regional operated by Eurowings Seasonal: Düsseldorf [begins 12 May][13]
Ryanair Beauvais [begins 27 March], East Midlands, Hahn [begins 27 March], Lanzarote, Liverpool, London-Luton, London-Stansted, Tenerife-South
Seasonal: Alicante, Bergamo [begins 25 March], Bristol, Faro, Girona [begins 27 March], Gran Canaria

Ground transport

Bus

Bus Éireann currently provide services from the Airport on the Derry-Sligo-Galway and Galway-Sligo-Derry Route 64,[14] Ireland West Airport Knock - Castlebar - Westport - Achill Island route 440,[15] Dublin - Athlone - Ireland West Airport Knock - Westport route 21,[16] and connects with Dublin - Mullingar - Longford - Ballina route 22[17] via Charlestown.

Taxi

The airport is also served by taxis. There is a taxi rank located outside the arrivals/departures entrance. To pre-book see www.knockairporttaxis.com.

Road

Ireland West Airport Knock is conveniently located on the main N17 North – South road, halfway between Galway and Sligo. It is also close to the junction of the East - West N5 Westport-Castlebar-Longford road.

Train

The nearest railway station to Ireland West Airport Knock is Ballyhaunis, accessible by airport cabs or bus services.

Car Hire

Car hire is available in the main concourse - terminal building, with eight car rental firms located at the airport.

Car Parking

The airport has over 1,500 accessible car parking spaces for short-term and long-term parking outside the main terminal.

Passenger statistics

Passenger numbers by year
Year Passengers Rank in Ireland Rank in Republic of Ireland
1987 55,000
1988 117,000
1989 145,000
1990 146,000
1991 101,000
1992 106,000
1993 108,000
1994 130,000
1995 137,912
1996 161,435
1997 172,070
1998 186,689
1999 197,358
2000 173,421
2001 203,000
2002 199,000
2003 247,000
2004 373,000
2005 530,084 6 4
2006 621,171 6 4
2007 556,357 6 4
2008 629,000 6 4
2009 607,228 6 4
2010 589,180 6 4

Busiest routes

Busiest routes to and from Ireland West Airport Knock (2010)[18]
Rank Airport Airline Passengers
1 United Kingdom London Stansted Republic of Ireland Ryanair 98,760
2 United Kingdom London Luton Republic of Ireland Ryanair 73,929
3 United Kingdom London Gatwick Republic of Ireland Aer Lingus 67,506
4 United Kingdom Liverpool Republic of Ireland Ryanair 61,259
5 United Kingdom Manchester United Kingdom bmibaby 47,885
6 United Kingdom East Midlands Republic of Ireland Ryanair 43,074
7 United Kingdom Birmingham United Kingdom bmibaby 41,934
8 Portugal Faro Republic of Ireland Ryanair / European Union Charter 35,699
9 United Kingdom Bristol Republic of Ireland Ryanair 29,536
10 Spain Alicante Republic of Ireland Ryanair 24,654
11 United Kingdom Leeds-Bradford Republic of Ireland Ryanair 20,973
12 Spain Barcelona-Reus Republic of Ireland Ryanair 20,233
13 Spain Lanzarote European Union Charter 7,185
14 Republic of Ireland Dublin Republic of Ireland Aer Arann 6,978
15 France Lourdes European Union Charter 4,329
Busiest routes to and from Ireland West Airport Knock (2011 Jan-Jun)[18]
Rank Airport Airline Passengers  % Change
2010 / 11
1 United Kingdom London Stansted Republic of Ireland Ryanair 49,973 increase13
2 United Kingdom London Luton Republic of Ireland Ryanair 39,971 increase12
3 United Kingdom Liverpool Republic of Ireland Ryanair 32,507 increase16
4 United Kingdom London Gatwick Republic of Ireland Aer Lingus 30,420 decrease2
5 United Kingdom Manchester United Kingdom bmibaby 20,073 increase4
6 United Kingdom Birmingham United Kingdom bmibaby 19,524 increase15
7 United Kingdom East Midlands Republic of Ireland Ryanair 19,514 increase2
8 Portugal Faro Republic of Ireland Ryanair / European Union Charter 14,943 increase33
9 United Kingdom Bristol Republic of Ireland Ryanair 13,731 decrease1
10 United Kingdom Leeds-Bradford Republic of Ireland Ryanair 11,503 increase92
11 Spain Alicante Republic of Ireland Ryanair 10,204 increase23
12 Spain Barcelona-Reus Republic of Ireland Ryanair 9,030 increase63
13 Spain Tenerife Republic of Ireland Ryanair 5,259 increaseN/A
14 Spain Lanzarote Republic of Ireland Ryanair / European Union Charter 4,880 increase593
15 Spain Gran Canaria Republic of Ireland Ryanair 4,239 increaseN/A
16 United Kingdom Edinburgh United Kingdom flybe 2,604 increaseN/A

Incidents and accidents

  • On 23 March 2006, a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 "only marginally avoided controlled flight into terrain", during an approach to the airport following a flight from London Gatwick, according to the Irish Air Accident Investigation Unit. An unbriefed descent, while the flight crew concentrated on reprogramming for a new approach, meant they arrived over the airport at 410 ft with landing gear and flaps up. The aircraft landed successfully following a second approach attempt.[19]

Music

The construction of Knock Airport is the subject of "Knock Song" by Irish folk singer-songwriter Christy Moore. The musical "On a Wing and a Prayer" deals with the life and times of Monsignor James Horan, focusing on his long and arduous struggle to get the airport built. It premièred in the Royal Theatre, Castlebar, on the 25 November 2010.

References

  1. ^ a b c EIKN – IRELAND WEST (PDF). AIP and charts from the Irish Aviation Authority.
  2. ^ Knock Airport reports record passenger numbers
  3. ^ Connaught Aero Club
  4. ^ a b c d e f "History of Ireland West Airport Knock". Ireland West Airport Knock. http://www.irelandwestairport.com/utility/history.aspx. Retrieved 2009-04-16. 
  5. ^ New scheduled flights to New York & Boston commence!
  6. ^ http://www.irelandwestairport.com/utility/news_details.aspx?id=176
  7. ^ http://www.irishnews.com/break.asp?tbrk=brk&par=brk&catid=5834&subcatid=642&storyid=394440
  8. ^ http://www.irelandwestairport.com/utility/news_details.aspx?id=221
  9. ^ http://www.irelandwestairport.com/utility/news_details.aspx?id=177
  10. ^ http://mayotoday.ie/index.php/browse-mayo-news-by-category/life-a-style/item/3518-ryanair-celebrates-4-million-passengers-on-knock-flights.html
  11. ^ http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0914/knock-business.html
  12. ^ [1]
  13. ^ http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0914/knock-business.html
  14. ^ Bus eireann commences new daily bus services to Ireland West Airport Knock serving towns on the Derry-Sligo-Galway Route 64
  15. ^ http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1270137753-440.pdf
  16. ^ http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1276875417-21.pdf
  17. ^ http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1233309217-22.pdf
  18. ^ a b http://www.cso.ie/px/pxeirestat/Dialog/varval.asp?ma=ctm01&ti=Air+Passenger+Movement+(Number)+by+Irish+Airport,+Foreign+Airport,+Month+and+Direction&path=../Database/Eirestat/Airport%20Pairings/&lang=1
  19. ^ "Serious Incident: Boeing B737-800, EI-DHX, Ireland West Airport, Knock, 23 Mar 2006". AAIU. http://www.aaiu.ie/AAIUviewitem.asp?id=8545&lang=ENG&loc=1280. Retrieved 2007-12-30. 

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