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Cutback in flights could cripple Shannon economy

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

DUBLIN – The head of Shannon Development has criticized the cutback of flights into and out of Shannon Airport, which he said was harming the development of the region, the Irish Independent has reported.

The chief executive of the industrial development agency, Kevin Thompstone, said last Wednesday that tourism in the region would be devastated by the reductions.

The net impact of the recently implemented cutbacks by Aer Lingus, British Airways and Delta would result in a reduction of 10,000 inbound passengers to Shannon each week, 7,000 of the tourists. The organization calculates that each 3,000 visitors spend approximately _1 million per week.

Shannon was the location for important employers like Dell, Analog Devices, Intel’s network processing division, Cable & Wireless, General Electric and Tellabs.

The cutbacks resulting from Sept. 11 attacks in the U.S. have meant Shannon has lost same-day links to 14 European destinations, including Brussels, London City, Frankfurt, and Rome.

“We know Aer Lingus has to restructure and cut costs, but we make no apology for highlighting the impact of this on the region,” Thompstone said.

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The president of the Irish Hotels Federation, Mary Fitzgerald, warned that small hotels in the Shannon area are in danger of bankruptcy unless cancelled services in and out of Shannon are replaced.

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