Lift-off for six new airbridges at Shannon Airport ahead of busy summer travel season.
The Shannon Airport Group has completed the final phase of its multi-million euro airbridge enhancement programme, which saw the replacement of six airbridges at Shannon Airport.
The new airbridges will allow passengers to board aircraft directly from the airport terminal building without exposing them and airline crews to the elements. One airbridge was replaced between July 2022 and early 2023, with phase two of the project completed in recent weeks as the handover of the final five new airbridges took place.
The airbridge upgrade project, which totalled a cost of over 3.1 million euros, saw the installation of six state-of-the-art airbridges, which are fully equipped with the latest passenger and aircraft safety technology, and capable of accommodating over 22 types of large aircraft, excluding some smaller regional jets.
The new airbridges were manufactured by CIMC-Tianda Airport Support in China, one of the largest global suppliers of Passenger Boarding Bridges. With an impressive lifespan of at least 20 years, the bridges not only enhance passenger experience but also reflect The Shannon Airport Group’s commitment to investing in durable and sustainable infrastructure solutions across its operations. Each bridge weighs 30 tonnes, with the installation of individual bridges taking approximately two weeks to complete. The combined weight of the six airbridges (180 tonnes) is the equivalent to 180,000 1kg bags of sugar.
The airbridge enhancement programme is part of a series of infrastructure upgrades completed by The Shannon Airport Group in recent years as the airport rebuilds its operations post-Covid. Projects completed with support from the Department of Transport under the Regional Airports Programme include Shannon’s €2.5 million hi-tech security screening system and a €5.3 million airfield rehabilitation project.
Commenting on the completion of the airbridge enhancement programme, Niall Kearns, Airport Director, Shannon Airport said: “Here at The Shannon Airport Group, we remain focused on future proofing our airport infrastructure in line with our commitment to ensuring the most efficient and seamless experience for our passengers. We are delighted to be heading into the busy summer travel season with six new airbridges in operation. We are very grateful for the funding support we have received from the Department of Transport, under the Regional Airports Programme, which made it possible for us to complete these significant upgrades.”
Shannon Airport gearing up for busy Bank Holiday
Shannon Airport is gearing up for a busy May bank holiday as over 46,000 people are expected to travel through the popular Midwest airport over the bank holiday period.
As the summer holiday travel period gets underway, the airport is expecting this weekend to be one of the busiest of the year to date.
Commenting, Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group said: “We are expecting a very busy bank holiday ahead at Shannon Airport as people take advantage of the long weekend with a well-deserved city break or much-needed sunshine escape. Despite the expected increase in passenger traffic over the coming days, it is still easier than ever to travel through Shannon, with our teams on hand to ensure a seamless journey for our customers through the airport.”
This year, Shannon Airport will operate 33 routes to 11 countries across the EU, UK and US. A new daily service to New York-JFK with Delta will commence on the 25th May, providing a boost to the airport’s transatlantic service offering through the busy holiday period. To meet additional holiday travel demand, the airport will also have increased frequency on nine services this summer, providing an additional 130,000 seats to popular European and UK destinations such as Alicante, Faro, Malaga, Lanzarote and London.
Further commenting, Ms Considine said, “We are experiencing an influx of passengers from all over Ireland jetting off this weekend, including families, groups of friends and couples. We are also seeing a consistent increase in tourists arriving at our airport to explore the vibrant tourism offering along the Wild Atlantic Way, which will provide a welcome boost to the regional economy through the summer season ahead.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank our valued customers for their continued support and would encourage people to think Shannon first when planning their holidays this summer.”
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
