Knock to consider running flights from Galway Airport

A radical proposal has been put forward for the resumption of flights in and out of the closed Galway Airport – by the rival Knock Airport.

Management at the Mayo facility said yesterday that they were willing to enter discussions with the owners of Galway Airport about the possibility.

Passenger services were discontinued at Galway Airport three years ago when the Government pulled the subvention the facility received.

Indeed the amount of activity had dramatically reduced at the airport in the years up to its closure.

But there was a surprise twist to the many controversies surrounding the facility at Carnmore at a meeting of Galway County Council yesterday.

Knock Airport management made a presentation to county councillors outlining the benefits the airport had to County Galway in terms of tourism numbers and investment.

They were basically looking for Galway County Council to invest money in the airport. They are making a similar plea to other county councils.

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Then Cllr James Charity from the Oranmore Municipal District asked if they would have any medium to long term interest in operating a passenger service out of Carnmore.

He spoke of the downgrading of Galway Airport and the need for it to be revitalised.

Cllr Charity suggested that Knock Airport operate both domestic services out of Galway as well as flights to the UK.

In response, Martin Gillen, a member of the Board of Management at Knock Airport said that they were open to all suggestions.

He said that the board of Knock Airport were willing to sit down with the owners of Galway Airport to discuss such a proposal.

“If the desire is there, then we will talk to them,” he confirmed.

The airport in Carnmore was purchased jointly by Galway County Council and Galway City Council for €1.1 million.

Acting County Manager Jim Cullen informed the meeting that a feasibility study would be carried out in the near future to determine how best to use the 115 acre site.

Mr Cullen said that everything would be considered, from aviation to agriculture and even aquaculture at the site, which is currently rented out to Carnmore Aviation Limited.

However, some councillors rubbished the idea that passenger flights would ever take off from Carnmore in the future because of its limitations regarding the size of aircraft it can accommodate.