Shannon Airport preparing for more than 42,000 passengers over June bank holiday

Muireann Duffy

Shannon Airport is expecting to see a surge in passenger numbers over the June bank holiday weekend, forecasting increases on both last year and 2019, prior to the Covid pandemic.

Over 42,000 passengers are expected to pass through the airport over the long weekend, which would be an 18.5 per cent increase on the same weekend of 2022. It would also represent a 3 per cent increase on the same period of 2019.

The start of June sees the return of some of the airport's most popular sun-holiday destinations, including Barcelona-Girona and the Greek island of Corfu, recommencing June 1st and 3rd respectively.

The weekend will also mark the start of Shannon's new daily seasonal service to Chicago, announced last week.

The airport will serve 33 routes this summer, spanning 11 countries. The airport has also seen the benefit of new 3D scanning technology, meaning liquids and tech devices do not have to be removed from hand luggage when passing through security, speeding up the process, and allowing them to scrap the 100ml rule for liquids.

"This weekend is a prime example of the surge in travel activity and signifies the vibrant recovery in the aviation industry," Shannon Airport Group chief executive Mary Considine said.

"Our success to date, since the pandemic, is a testament to our staff and airline partners. We are committed to providing connectivity and supporting tourism in the region and beyond," she added.