Ireland West Airport Knock and Ryanair welcomed its four millionth passenger on flights to/from Ireland West Airport Knock last Monday. Transport Minister Leo Varadkar and Ireland West Knock managing director Joe Gilmore presented the four millionth passenger, Sister Maude Murphy from Knock, County Mayo, with a free holiday for two to Lanzarote including flights, transfers, and accommodation. To mark the occasion Ryanair also donated €4,000 to a charity of choice of Sister Murphy’s.
Special guests at Ireland West Airport Knock on the day to mark the occasion were Ryanair CEO, Michael O’Leary; Minister for the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar; Minister of State at the Dept of Transport Michael Ring; and CEO of Tourism Ireland Niall Gibbons.
Since Ryanair’s first flight from Knock Airport departed to London Luton in 1987 Ryanair now operates 12 routes to deliver 450,000 passengers a year, supporting and sustaining 450 local jobs in the western region. Ryanair services accounted for 67 per cent of the record tally of 84,000 passengers in August who travelled on flights through Ireland West Airport Knock.
Commenting on the special occasion Ryanair CEO Mr O’Leary said: “Ryanair is proud to have carried four million passengers to and from Ireland West Airport Knock over the past 24 years, with passengers saving over €200m by switching to Ryanair’s low fares over rival airlines’ high fares. Ryanair will carry over 450,000 passengers through Ireland West Knock in 2011, sustaining 400 jobs and underlining Ryanair’s commitment to and investment in tourism in the west of Ireland.”
Mr Gilmore, the airport’s MD, added: “We are delighted to mark this milestone in the airport’s history and development with Ryanair and acknowledge their loyalty and commitment to the airport and the west of Ireland over the years in providing critical international access to the UK market and in recent times opening up the outbound sun holiday destinations of Spain, Portugal, and now the Canaries on a year round basis. We look forward to developing additional new destinations with them in the near future and continuing to expand our range of services with them from this airport.”
