Here is a report from today's Irish Independent...gives some background to the airport's interesting history and the new US route. I imagine we will be hearing a lot more announcements re Irish airports in the run up to the election.
It's take-off as Knock lands first flights to the US
A PLAN for Ireland's first low-cost transatlantic flights from Knock has been unveiled.
Some two decades since Monsignor James Horan's vision for a truly international airport in Co Mayo was dismissed, the dream has finally taken wings across the Atlantic.
Msgr Horan was the founder of Knock Airport, now officially called Ireland West Airport Knock.
But critics and sceptics were confounded and 21 years later, the airport has truly come of age with the launch of three-times-a-week flights to JFK Airport in New York from May 27 and a twice-weekly service to Boston Logan International Airport from May 30.
The flights, originating in Liverpool and Glasgow, are being provided by Scottish low-cost carrier Flyglobespan, which has signed a five-year contract with the west of Ireland airport.
Prices
Return prices, including taxes, could cost as little as €460, according to airport managing director Liam Scollan.
It is estimated that the services have the potential to bring up to 35,000 US tourists and an estimated €28m spending boost to the West and North West in the current year alone.
According to Mr Scollan, this is expected to grow to more than 56,000 US tourists, with an estimated spend of up to €45m by 2008.
"We can see the floodgates opening. For 160 years, the largest emigration to the United States was from the west of Ireland so there are massive cultural and social links, particularly with the east coast of America.
"And four-fifths of all the Irish that emigrated to the US came from counties of the West," he said.
But unlike the past when no work made emigration a necessity and the ticket was usually one-way, today's traveller has a very different profile.
Weekend shopping trips to New York and Boston and holidays in Cape Cod are more likely to be the order of the day, while many of those on inbound flights will have west of Ireland blood coursing through their veins.
Tourism bodies have estimated the direct flights will boost spending in the West by up to €45m by 2008.
"These transatlantic services will connect neighbours, friends and relatives that have long been separated by a century of emigration from this region to the US," said Mr Scollan.
They would also foster the growing business links with the US in the region.
At yesterday's historic event, political, community, church and tourism leaders united to welcome what airport chairman Joe Kennedy described as a milestone in aviation history.
Anita Guidera