THE GOVERNMENT should organise a round-table meeting to bring together all the relevant stakeholders in the Shannon airport region, with the aim of “securing alternative airlines and markets to help reverse the airport’s fortunes”, according to Fine Gael TD Pat Breen.
Mr Breen was speaking in response to recent cutbacks by Ryanair at Shannon.
“Two-thirds of the short-haul routes have disappeared off the radar at Shannon airport as of yesterday [Thursday], with only 10 Ryanair flights landing and departing each day now. Compare this to Dublin airport where 10 Ryanair aircraft arrived on the tarmac in just one hour yesterday afternoon.
“When an airport is beholden to one airline, a policy which was supported by this Government unfortunately, there was an inevitability about yesterday’s doomsday scenario.
“Sadly though it is the people in the region and those living and working abroad who will now pay the price . . .” Mr Breen added.