Aer Arann Liverpool - Knock

[SFP]

Aer Arann Announces New Liverpool Knock Service

13th May 2004, Aer Arann, Ireland’s premier regional airline today announced the introduction of a new service from Liverpool to Knock effective from Monday, 21st June 2004.

The new service which will operate Monday to Friday will depart Liverpool John Lennon Airport at 2035 with a flight time of one hour and ten minutes. The return flight will depart Knock Airport at 1900 and arrive at Liverpool John Lennon Airport at 2010. Fares on the route will start from GBP25.99 one way including tax and the flight will be operated by a 48 seater ATR42 aircraft.

Commenting on the announcement, Padraig O’Ceidigh, Managing Director, Aer Arann said; ‘‘Aer Arann has developed a considerable UK network in the past 18 months and we are delighted to be announcing our first service from Liverpool John Lennon Airport. We believe the historical links between Liverpool and the West of Ireland will be strengthened by the introduction of this route and we look forward to working with our colleagues in Liverpool John Lennon Airport to grow the service.”

Neil Pakey, Managing Director Liverpool John Lennon Airport said," We are delighted to see this new link with the West of Ireland. The Irish market always has tremendous potential from Liverpool with the traditional strong links between Merseyside and Ireland and I look forward to seeing Aer Arann make a success of this new route"

[Tom the Tenor]

Best of luck to them. Should be interesting with WW over at MAN all ready offering competition to Knock ex Manchester. Close to 200 seats between Knock to MAN/LPL shortly per 5 day week. Heady stuff!

[Mouser]

Depends on wheather you want to taxi out for 20 minites nip across another runway with two or three other a/c jockeying for position on a minty 737. or be greeted with a lovely Irish smile.

[Exospheric]

More great news for Knock.

When the stopover ends, it wont be too hard for shannon to find who their main competition is.

[blackflyer]

Passengers from Liverpool will arrive at Knock at 2145. Can you get anywhere from Knock airport at that time of night?

This will be a leisure-dominated route. Such passengers would like a flight a bit earlier. I think flights on Monday, Friday & Sunday would be better for the market.

Is this route going to go the same way as the recent Air Wales service, because it does not operate at the best times?

When the South Liverpool Parkway opens late 2005, and surface transport to Liverpool airport improves immensely, I would have thought it would pay Aer Arran to operate all their flights to the NorthWest from Liverpool. They would save at least ten minutes flying time in each direction, as well as a few minutes on the ground.

[SNNEI]

Exospheric,

You are correct. Knock is kicking our asses at present and good luck to them. A bit of competition will be good for SNN.

At the very least, when the stopover is gone, SNN managment might actually get off their ar$es and start going out there and attracting the routes and operators we actually need.

[runawayedge]

Reckon it's not only Knock that's kicking ass....Galway has more destinations to the UK now than Shannon!!

[serko]

I'd expect a fairly big announcment about Shannon on thursday.

[runawayedge]

Has to be something to do with EU jet!!!!!!