Capital Funding Announced For Kerry Airport
Kerry Airport has received a welcome increase in the level of funding to annual support towards the cost of upgrading and purchasing essential technological and communications infrastructure in Farranfore.The €2.2 million investment includes proposed allocations of €911,071 and €1,297,840 under the CAPEX and Public Policy Remit Capital (PPR-C) Schemes respectively.
The CEO of Kerry Airport, John Mulhern, said: “We welcome the increase in capital funding from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Such investments are essential for the continued delivery of a safe and efficient service at Kerry Airport. The team at Kerry Airport wish to thank the Department, and in particular Minister Brendan Griffin, for acknowledging the key role that Kerry Airport plays in the development of the tourism and general business sectors in Kerry.”
The Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin, said: “This is huge funding coming to Kerry Airport, on top of a number of large grants for Kerry Airport that I have announced over the last two years. These grants complement the Kerry Dublin flights subsidy that is also serving this county well. This Government’s continued strong support for Kerry Airport represents major support for rural Ireland and is helping to sustain jobs and create new ones.”
The CAPEX Scheme covers Exchequer support for safety and security related investment and is concerned with projects that are regarded as having an economic value to the airport or are inherent to the normal ‘business’ of being an airport. The PPR-C covers capital investments associated with safety and security operations at airports that involve costs for the airport but generate no economic return, such as Air Traffic Control, fire services and security services.
This Programme of funding provides for support of up to 75% under Capex and 90% under PPR-C for approved relevant projects.
The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross, said: “Today’s announcement is further evidence of this Government’s commitment to the Regional Airports Programme as part of Project Ireland 2040. A total of €72 million is being invested in safety and security related infrastructure enhancement projects and equipment over the lifetime of the National Development Plan. These grant allocations will help Ireland’s smallest airports to grow to a viable and self-sustaining position as envisaged by the National Aviation Policy.”
Kerry Airport Shows 5% Increase In Passenger Numbers For Q1 2019
68,606 passengers traveled through Kerry Airport during the first three months of 2019 marking a 4.8% increase on the same period for 2018. The most frequent services – Kerry to Dublin with Aer Lingus Regional and London Luton and London Stansted routes with Ryanair – carried nearly 54,000 passengers up to March 31st.
The top route for Kerry was London-Luton, while the most significant increase on a single route was evident on the twice-weekly Ryanair service between Kerry and Berlin which was up 17% from January to March.
Outbound passengers accounted for most of the increase with 2,022 more people going through the Departures Hall and 1,446 more people arriving into the Kingdom in the first three months of the year.
The CEO of Kerry Airport, John Mulhern, has welcomed the positive figures: “Tourists and business passengers have identified Kerry Airport as a convenient and efficient gateway with regular flights to two London destinations in Stansted and Luton as well Berlin and Frankfurt Hahn in Germany with Ryanair. We’ve enjoyed a good start to the second quarter which saw the commencement of the Alicante and Faro sun routes and the increased frequency of the Frankfurt Hahn service for the summer season. Passengers are encouraged to choose Kerry as the most convenient starting point for a sun holiday or city break.”
The twice daily Aer Lingus Regional route between Kerry and Dublin continues to grow with 4% more passengers availing of the service than during the first quarter of 2018.
The Airport held its AGM on Friday 14th June in Tralee and has reported an Operating Profit after Taxation for the period of €966,056 as compared to €728,626 in the previous year. The airport has recently become the helicopter base for oil and gas exploration rigs moving into the Porcupine Basin in Kerry
About the Author
Mark Dwyer Mark is an airline pilot by profession flying the Boeing 737 for a major European airline. In addition he is also a Type Rating Instructor on the B737. Outside of commercial flying Mark enjoys flying light aircraft from the smallest 3 Axis microlights up to heavier singles. He also instructs on them including tailwheel differences training and is a UK CAA Examiner. He also flies the Chipmunk for the Irish Historic Flight Foundation (IHFF). Mark became the Chairman of the National Microlight Association of Ireland (NMAI) in 2013 and has overseen a massive growth in the organisation. In this role he has worked at local and national levels. In 2015, Mark won ‘Upcoming Aviation Professional Award’ at the Aviation Industry Awards sponsored by the IAA. Mark launched this website back in 2002 while always managing the website, he has also been Editor and Deputy Editor of FlyingInIreland Magazine from 2005 to 2015.
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