CityJet to base RJ85 at Shannon

Air France subsidiary CityJet are to base an RJ85 aircraft at Shannon from May and change the timing of the morning departure to 6.30am with a Paris arrival at 9.30am local. Since the service was introduced last spring the airline have operated the route with Embraer 145 aircraft leased from Regional Airlines. The original intention had been to operate the route with RJ85 aircraft but a shortage of frames led to the implementation date being pushed out. A similar frame shortage led CityJet to pull off the Dublin -Knock PSO (Public Service Obligation) route which it tendered for last summer.

During the summer of 2008, CityJet briefly operated RJ85 aircraft on a third daily Shannon - Paris service at the weekends.

The basing of the CityJet aircraft at Shannon will be welcomed, especially by business travellers who had complained that the near-lunchtime arrival in Paris of the current morning service limits the range of onward connections which are possible from the French capital.

Announcing the change to the schedule, CityJet's CE Geoffry O'Byrne White said the airline would rely on the "continued support of businesses and leisure passengers in the Mid West and in the current tough economic environment, that support will be vital if the route is to continue."

The move comes weeks before Aer Lingus recommence operations on the Shannon - Heathrow route.