Airport team hopeful Pope will fly into Knock

Officials from Ireland West Airport said the signs are positive that the Pontiff will fly into the Mayo airfield at the beginning of his State visit in August.

When asked about reports the Pope would visit Knock, Joe Gilmore, managing director of the airport, said: “We’ve heard nothing official yet but we’re very hopeful. The soundings are positive, so we are very hopeful.”

He was responding this week to queries from Labour City Councillor Niall McNelis, after giving a presentation to Galway City Council about Knock.

Mr Gilmore also outlined how that the airport was “hopeful” of securing an agreement with an airline to operate transatlantic flights to and from America.

Regarding US flights, he said he’d “love to say it will happen in twelve months” and he was “very hopeful” of it happening within 18 months.

He cautioned that there was “a lot of uncertainty” globally in the aviation industry; and takeovers and mergers of airlines can scupper the ongoing work and talks that have been happening with transatlantic operators.

Mr Gilmore, and his colleague Donal Healy, gave a brief ‘business update’ in the City Council chamber on Monday.

They outlined that the total investment contribution from both Galway City Council and Galway County Council was €912,500 each.

The duo was seeking a further one-off investment of €14,500 from both Galway Councils to complete the construction of a visitor discovery centre in the arrivals.

They said 2017 was a record year for Ireland West Airport with 750,000 passengers. This year they plan to expand further into the UK market with 16,000 extra seats on flights to Birmingham, Edinburgh and Manchester with Flybe. Ryanair is also increasing capacity on its Milan flight by 35% and Mr Gilmore said there are plans for more services to Netherlands, France and Germany. Brexit would have a short-term impact, they predicted, but that is why they were diversifying routes.

In response to questions from Cllr Ollie Crowe (FF), Mr Gilmore agreed the compulsory €10 charge, payable by every passenger before going through security, was “very contentious” but without it, he said, Knock would not be there because it covers about 40% of its operating costs.

A number of elected members criticised the poor quality public transport links with the airport to Galway, notwithstanding that the Derry-Galway Bus Éireann service now stops at the airport six times per day.

Passenger surveys found that 19% of the airport’s outbound passengers originate in Galway; and 40% of visitors going through the airport visit Galway.

According to the survey, they spend €35m plus in Galway and generate 100,000+ bed nights per annum.

Councillors will vote on the €14,500 grant at the June meeting