Business
Shannon records 140% increase in Euro passengers
Shannon Airport’s nine new European routes have delivered a dramatic month of growth, with a 140% increase in passenger numbers on continental services recorded last month compared to April 2013.
The airport has halted five years of passenger numbers decline in its first year as an independent entity after being separated from the State airports’ group in January of last year but April’s passenger figures are proof that 2014 will be about growth.
Boosted by a really strong Easter period, Shannon enjoyed its biggest month-over-month increase in over a decade as 31% more passengers flew through the airport in April compared to the same month last year. The sharpest increase, not surprisingly, was recorded in passenger numbers to and from the continent, which more than doubled.
The airport had its biggest month in ten years in April in terms of route launches, with new services commenced to Munich, Paris, Faro, Warsaw, Krakow, Nice, Poitiers, Berlin, Fuerteventura (all Ryanair) and Bristol (Aer Lingus Regional). April also saw a new Aer Lingus Malaga service kick-off, while it was also the first full month for the airline’s year-round six times weekly JFK New York service, which commenced at the end of March.
The increase in services is particularly timely with the commencement this year of the Wild Atlantic Way project, the longest defined coastal driving route in the world. Shannon is the key gateway airport for the project as it is not alone the only airport on the west coast with services to a European hub (Heathrow), providing one-stop connectivity to an additional 170 global destinations, but it is also the only airport on the entire route, which stretches from Cork to Donegal, with transatlantic services.
Passenger numbers on European routes rose to 38,610, from 16,087 in April 2013, with UK provincial increasing by 27%, from 13,401 to 17,000. Transatlantic, meanwhile, enjoyed an 18% uplift in the month, from 20,147 to 23,852.
The new President of Local Ireland, the association representing local news publishers around the country, is Head of Irish Times Regionals Dan Linehan.
Mr Linehan takes over the presidency from Declan McGuire of the Connacht Tribune. His appointment was confirmed at the recent Annual General Meeting of Local Ireland at Bloomfield House Hotel near Mullingar, Westmeath.
Mr Linehan, who has served as Vice President of the organisation for the last two years, said: “The coming years are a very important time for local publishers with many important issues to be addressed, including the implementation of the Future of Media Commission recommendations, defamation reform, the role and support for local publishers in public service reporting and helping publishers develop commercial digital offerings.”
Speaking at the AGM, Mr McGuire acknowledged the work done by the Executive in the past two years under the direction of Executive Director, Bob Hughes, on several projects related to the publishing industry but most especially the successful conclusion of the long-running campaign for the abolition of VAT on newspapers.
He also wished Mr Linehan the very best in his new role as President of the association for the next two years.
Mr Hughes thanked Mr McGuire for his leadership and support during his term of office and said he looked forward to working with Mr Linehan on the key policy priorities for the association, including Government supports, Government advertising, fair remuneration for content from the tech platforms and the reform of the legislation for defamation.
Local Ireland members also elected Seán Mahon, Managing Director of the Southern Star, as Vice President for the next two years.
The shortage of affordable housing is the single biggest impediment in attracting and retaining workers in the West, according to business group Ibec.
At a ‘Regional Insights Series’ meeting in the Galmont Hotel in Galway last week, employers were told that capacity constraints and labour supply are the key challenges facing business growth in the region.
Ibec Head of Regional Policy Helen Leahy said: “There must be greater focus by government on enhancing quality of life issues such as housing and infrastructure which are driving labour shortages in the region.
“Ibec’s vision for the West is to realise its potential to become a globally competitive location. An inadequate supply of affordable housing is now the single largest impediment to attracting and retaining talented workers, without whom business investment and expansions are not possible.
“Labour shortages are a real concern for businesses in the region. People decide where to live and work based on quality of life and access to high quality services and amenities. Industry tends to follow talent, and in this regard, the region needs to have all the building blocks in place as the attraction and retention of world-class talent becomes increasingly competitive on a global level,” said Ms Leahy.
Amongst Ibec’s priorities for the West are:
- Addressing housing and infrastructure challenges
- Transitioning towards a new growth model with Net Zero energy powered by Atlantic offshore wind resources
- Adapting businesses to the new economic realities
- Enhancing capacity and skillsets to achieve sustainable development objectives
- Investment in people and skills
- Creating competitive advantage through digitalisation
- Innovation as a key driver of productivity growth
One in five Galway businesses want to go fully cashless, as the move towards card payments and tapping continues unabated post-Covid.
In all, 22% of Galway businesses would like to be fully cashless, according to a survey carried out by BOI Payment Acceptance (BOIPA), a provider of payment technology solutions, which asked Irish businesses about the current payment landscape as well as business confidence and concerns.
Over one-third (36%) of Galway businesses were unaware there is no contactless limit on mobile wallets – just below the national average – while 54% believe the increase in card over cash transactions has helped them run their business.
Six out of ten Galway businesses expect to grow this year despite the cost-of-living crisis and running costs dominating as key concerns; 62% believe their business will grow over the next twelve months despite global economic uncertainty.
Unsurprisingly cost-of-living increases and running costs were the main concerns the majority of businesses had.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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