Increase in US troop traffic at Shannon

Almost as many US troops have passed through Shannon airport during the first six months of this year as in the whole of 2004.

Figures released by the Shannon Airport Authority yesterday show that from January to June, 153,381 troops stopped over at Shannon en route to US bases in Europe, the Middle East and the US.

This compares to the 158,549 troops that passed through Shannon last year in what was a record year for US troop movements through Shannon.

The troop traffic continues to be a major revenue generator for the airport authority, with the authority believed to have received €18 million in income from the US government to date this year.

In spite of the massive rise in passenger numbers on commercial airlines this year, revenues from the military traffic continue to play an important role, as losses incurred by Shannon last year would have been much higher but for the revenues generated by the military traffic.

Shannon recorded a loss of €2.5 million on a turnover of €95 million in 2004 and the loss could increase in future years.

The figures released yesterday show that 23,461 troops passed through on 169 flights last month, compared with 21,991 during the second quarter of 2004.

However, figures for the second quarter in 2005 are down on the numbers that passed through the airport in the first quarter of this year. The figures released by Shannon show that 95,984 passed through on 690 flights in the first quarter. The 34,647 that passed through in January are just short of the 35,405 troops that used the airport in the first quarter of last year.

The airport has received an estimated €63 million in revenues from the US government over the past four years arising from its campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Some 453,388 US troops have stopped off at the airport since the start of 2002.

It is estimated that there are currently 150,000 US troops in Iraq. An unknown number of troops that flew to Iraq via Shannon have not made the return journey, as about 1,700 soldiers have been killed in action since the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

Clare Fine Gael deputy Pat Breen yesterday endorsed the troops using the airport. He said: "It is a great money-spinner for Shannon and should be welcomed. It is commercial business and the facilities at Shannon are not just on offer to the United States, but to any country."

Mr Breen went on: "I don't believe that Shannon is playing a role in US military operations. Ireland is a neutral country and it is a commercial decision to accept the troop business."