Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline has announced a new 3-times-a-week service from Ireland West Airport Knock to Leeds Bradford in the UK.  The new route will commence on the 25th March on Tuesday, Thursday and Sundays and will be the third addition to Flybe’s route network at the airport following the introduction of new services to Edinburgh and Manchester last year.

Notwithstanding massive challenges within the aviation industry in the last 12 months, Ireland West Airport Knock’s  latest traffic figures prove that 2011 was its busiest year in its history. In 2011, the annual number of passengers using Ireland West Knock increased by over 65,000 passengers to 654,500 - an increase of 11% on 2010.

Mayo Fine Gael TD Michelle Mulherin has expressed her delight with the confirmation she has received from the Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar TD, that Ireland West Airport Knock is to receive Exchequer funding of €400,000 under the Regional Airports Operational Expenditure Scheme. 

Ireland West Airport Knock has received a further boost today with the announcement by Minister of State Michael Ring TD, at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport that over €4 million euro has been approved for Capital Projects for Ireland West Airport Knock. The works at the airport are expected to create 35 jobs during the planning and implementation phases.

Ryanair has announced this morning that it will commence four new international flights from Ireland West Airport Knock.  The new schedules will start in April 2012 between Ireland West Airport Knock and Barcelona, Frankfurt, Milan and Paris resulting in a total of 14 Ryanair routes from the West of Ireland airport. These new flights will provide a welcome boost for tourism from France, Germany, Italy and Spain to Mayo and the west of Ireland.

Ireland West Airport Knock were delighted to welcome Sir Alex Ferguson as they officially launched their new service to Manchester on Monday with Europe’s largest regional Flybe. The new service will operate year round with flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays for the winter season with additional frequencies planned for the summer season.

Fáilte Ireland is already working to bring more German tourists to the West of Ireland following the announcement that a Lufthansa is to start a weekly service between Knock airport and Dussledorf next May. Tourism businesses all over the West of Ireland are delighted, according to Fáilte Ireland, which says the potential size of the market is huge - from Dussledorf to the connecting cities.

Ireland West Airport Knock is flying high with the news that Lufthansa - the world's fourth biggest airline and Europe's largest - is to start new services between Ireland West Airport Knock and Germany from Mayo 2012. It is a major boost for the West of Ireland and is certain to give tourism throughout the West its biggest boost in decades.

It was a proud day for everyone at Knock airport today when the staff joined with Ryanair to welcome the airline's 4 millionth passenger on flights to/from Ireland West Airport Knock. Transport Minister Leo Varadkar TD, and Ireland West Knock MD, Joe Gilmore, presented the 4mth passenger, Sister Maude Murphy, from Knock, with a free holiday for 2 to Lanzarote including flights, transfers and accommodation.

This August 84,000 passengers used Ireland West Airport Knock showing a 5.9% increase from August 2010, and recording the busiest month in the airport’s history, surpassing the previous high of 2006. It has also been the busiest year in the airport’s history with a total of 451,186 passengers using the airport between January and August inclusive, a 14% increase on 2010 levels.