Long-haul travel and global connectivity for passengers across the South of Ireland is set to receive a significant boost next summer as Cork Airport today announced some major schedule increases with some of the world’s most recognised airlines. The schedule improvements will provide passengers from across the South of Ireland with unrivalled access to some of Europe’s best-connected airport hubs and more choice for long-haul travel with seamless onward connections to hundreds of destinations worldwide. German flag carrier, Lufthansa, will increase its Cork – Frankfurt service to five flights per week, strengthening links to Germany and offering connections to over 150 destinations across Lufthansa’s worldwide network. At peak periods during the summer season, Lufthansa will offer six flights per week, and it will mark the second consecutive summer of expansion for the airline’s services from Cork. SWISS International Air Lines, through its subsidiary airline, Edelweiss, will return to Cork Airport with its twice-weekly service to Zurich even earlier next summer (from March 31), with onward connections to 70 European and 25 long-haul destinations.
Following the announcement of three daily services this winter, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will maintain that strong connectivity with three daily services to Amsterdam Schiphol next summer. Amsterdam Schiphol is one of Europe’s most important international hubs, and passengers can connect onwards with KLM to over 160 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. The French flag carrier Air France, which is currently operating a year-round Cork – Paris Charles de Gaulle service, will resume daily services to Paris earlier next year (from March 1). In providing direct access to the French capital, one of the world’s busiest airports and the Air France global network, the airline will offer up to 10 flights per week from Cork to Paris during the peak travel period next summer.
Finally, as Cork Airport’s busiest route (by both frequency and passengers carried), Aer Lingus will maintain its four-times daily service to London Heathrow, offering onward connections to over 130 destinations across the wider British Airways global network – with routes to North America, Latin America & Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Australia.
Announcing the news of Cork Airport’s increased European hub connectivity, the Head of Aviation Business Development & Communications at Cork Airport, Tara Finn said: “Having frequent, convenient connections to some of Europe’s biggest hub airports is a key part of our business model. From Cork, passengers can connect to any corner of the world with some of Europe’s biggest and recognisable carriers. Good hub connectivity benefits both business and leisure passengers alike, and we’re proud to offer the best air connectivity for our customers across the South of Ireland.”
Also commenting was the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Jerry Buttimer TD, who praised the increased connectivity by saying: “Strong connectivity to and from Cork Airport is of vital importance to the region – for business, for tourism and is good for the regional economy. Cork Airport is worth over €1 billion to the Irish economy each year, and I am delighted that the airline connections between Cork and the main European hubs of Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt and Zurich will grow even further next summer. I would like to commend the team at Cork Airport for delivering that growth.”
