New terminal opened at Ireland West Knock

On Friday last, October 16, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey officially opened a terminal extension at Ireland West Airport in Knock, Co. Mayo. The 3,000 sq. m extension will be known as the "Kennedy Terminal" in honor of Joe Kennedy, former Chairman and Honorary President of the Board of Directors. In total a capital investment program of €11.5m has been implemented in the past year, covering the new terminal, a CAT II ILS and a fully automated real time arrivals and departures information system. Commenting on the opening, the current Chairman, Liam Scollan said "Government support for infrastructure here has been of enormous benefit. We can now say now that this airport has arrived as a truly international, low cost, reliable airport with even more ease and speed of passage for passengers wishing to use us from all over Ireland.” 
Ireland West Knock Airport will handle in the region of 600,000 passengers this year which is little changed from last year's figure - a remarkable performance when other airports are showing double digit YoY declines. 

Ireland West Board change

Ireland West Airport, Knock has announced that Joe Kennedy, Chairman of the Board for the past 6 1/2 years is to retire. He will however stay on for the foreseeable future as Honorary President.

Mr. Kennedy will be succeeded by the former Group Managing Director of the airport, Joe Scollan.

2008 was Ireland West Airport's best year ever

Last year was Ireland West Airport Knock's busiest yet with an increase in passenger numbers of 73,000 to 629,000 for the twelve month period, representing a 13% increase over 2007.

The airport predicts that 2009 will be a challenging year but the increase in the number of routes served and additional charter destinations should see a growth of between 1% and 3% for the year ahead.

Growth in 2008 came from new routes to UK with the bmiBaby service to Glasgow and the new daily Ryanair service to Liverpool.

For 2009, new services will be operated by Aer Lingus to Gatwick commencing in April and Thomas Cook will be operating a service to Faro for the summer IT season.

New projects for completion at Knock in 2009 include the commissioning of the new CAT II ILS in February, the completion of a €5.5m expansion to the terminal which will double the existing check in area floor space and later in the year an increase in the ramp area will be completed.

Ireland West Airport announces CAT II ILS, job losses

Ireland West Airport has announced that it has awarded contracts totalling €3.6m for the installation of CAT II ILS on Runway 27 and a Runway End Safety Area (RESA) at the 09 end.

Construction and civil work has already commenced on the ILS works with electrical and equipment installation to commence at the end of October. The ILS installation is due for completion and commissioning in February 2009. When completed, the enhanced capability at Knock should see a big reduction in weather related diversions. The airport, at an elevation of 665 ft AMSL currently suffers from a disproportionate ( to it's total movements ) number of weather diversions. 

The RESA works will be completed by year end.

The current  developments which are being undertaken at the Airport are part of Ireland West Airport Knock’s Vision 2020; a €46 million capital investment programme which underpins the Airport’s goal of developing new short, medium and long haul international air routes and growing annual passenger numbers to over two million by 2020.

The news came in a week which also saw the management at Ireland West Airport announce that 14 workers at the airport would be made redundant as the winter operation requires less headcount than the summer 2008 staff level.