The 4,500 figure is total so covers both arr and dep.
Are you sure of that? The media releases talked of 6 flights a day for 4 days, or 24 flights. If that meant 2,250 individuals, it would only amount to about 94 people per flight.
Agree with EI-A330-300, don't know why you questioned the Free Xmas flights.
Well, I suppose because I didn't think the margin would be quite so thin, or that Shannon management would be quite so anxious to pretend they'd an increase in numbers.
I'm not questioning it now.