Irish low fares airline Ryanair is set to launch a new service to Shannon in this summer, expanding the fight service between Bristol Airport and Ireland.
Ryanair will operate a twice-weekly service to Shannon, taking the total number of flights per week to more than 100, including routes to Dublin, Cork and Knock.
Nigel Scott, Business Development Director at Bristol Airport, said: ‘Frequent flights between Bristol and Ireland help foster strong links for business and tourism, which is why Ryanair’s new Shannon service is such great news. Shannon is a convenient gateway from which to explore Ireland’s South West, just as Bristol Airport is the ideal starting point for Irish visitors to the South West England and South Wales.’
The flight service between Bristol and Ireland began in 1936, when Aer Lingus operated its very first international route from Dublin to the city’s airport, which was located in Whitchurch.
Presently, Dublin is one of the most popular destination served from Bristol Airport, with more than 418,000 passengers using the route in the last 12 months. Ryanair and Aer Lingus jointly operate up to seven departures a day, providing flight options for business and leisure passengers. Aer Lingus also serves Cork daily, while Ryanair operates three flights a week to Knock, in the west of Ireland.
According to the International Passenger Survey, Ireland is Bristol’s fifth biggest market for overseas visitors. Irish visitors to the South West of the UK spent a total of £29.86 million in the first three quarters of 2017, with the number of visits to the region up more than eight per cent over the previous corresponding period, Bristol Airport noted.
