It should concentrate on developing sustainable routes and stop trying to be a cross roads of the aviation world.
Ryan2000, within that context of Shannon, it is quite hard to define sustainable routes? With Ryanair there there are few sustainable routes for any other airlines (on short haul anyway) as Ryanair will elbow them out. So with Ryanair deciding on all new business it's hard for Shannon Airport authority to lead in this area?
As regards trying to be a cross roads of the aviation world, with long haul traffic in decline and little propects on the horizon, the SAA will take any new business that they can. Cant really blame them for that?
You make some valid points re the long list of airline withdrawls. Many of these would be here still if it were not for Ryanairs aggressive scheduling.
Many others were going out of business or changing form and Shannon would be a marginal route for them, eg British Regional, Virgin Express, Central Wings, etc.
Aeroflot was a reliable one for so long, but it was only going to be a matter of time before Shannon was no longer needed. And the current climate lends itself to cost cutting so stops enroute are avoided at all cost!
EI-BUD