Update:
Tuesday, June 7th
Clare Fine Gael Deputy Joe Carey, who is chairperson of the Shannon Airport Oireachtas Group, has welcomed the announcement saying the twice weekly service will not only give passengers access to the French capitol but it also provides hub connectivity to other European cities and the Middle East.
“This should prove a significant attraction to the tourism market and also to the many businesses in the Mid West that are focused on the European and Middle Eastern markets. It also increases the number of airlines operating out of Shannon to four and should encourage other international carriers to view the airport as a viable alternative to the overburdened Dublin gateway.
The fact that the Shannon Group continued to invest and develop passenger facilities during the Covid pandemic is now being seen as a major factor in the airport’s ongoing recovery,” he added.
Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Tourism and Aviation Cathal Crowe said: “This is a very positive endorsement of Shannon Airport and what we have to offer here in the Midwest region of Ireland. There is massive scope in Shannon to expand the routes on offer and this latest announcement brings to 27 the total number of routes to and from the airport.
“These services cover a range of destinations in Europe, the UK and North America. Securing a link to Paris has long been a goal of mine and for Shannon Group, as it opens Shannon up to a major European city and hub.
“I very much welcome today’s news and also want to take this opportunity to welcome Vueling to Shannon and I look forward to more positive announcements to come,” Deputy Crowe added.
Shannon Group has today welcomed the announcement of a new direct Paris service from Shannon Airport .
As first reported by the Clare Herald on Saturday, Vueling Airlines, the low-cost Spanish airline, has been secured by Shannon Group to operate, twice weekly service to Paris Orly Airport on Mondays and Fridays starting from 12th September.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Shannon Group CEO, Mary Considine said: “We are delighted to welcome our new carrier Vueling, part of IAG, to Shannon Airport. This service is another major boost for inbound and outbound business and tourism interests in the region. We have been working closely with Vueling to deliver the service and are looking forward to seeing our passengers jet off to this globally renowned city, steeped in culture and history. Paris is one of the most popular cities in the world and we know this will be an exciting destination for our passengers to enjoy.”
Carolyn Prowse, Vueling’s Chief Commercial, Strategy, Customer and Network officer, said: “Vueling has scheduled a total of 114 destinations in 31 countries until 29 October 2022, reaching a very similar level of operations to 2019. We are very excited to see a progressive development of business this year and to keep expanding the airline’s offering across Europe. The new direct route between Shannon and Paris Orly airports reinforces Vueling’s interest in providing a more flexible and varied offer to travellers based in Ireland.”
During the pandemic Shannon Group continued to invest in making the passenger journey through the airport as easy as possible. The introduction of a new, faster, security screening system is proving popular with passengers as it eliminates the need to remove liquids, cosmetics, and electronics from carry-on bags, while also halving the dwell time through security. Shannon is the only state airport in Ireland to operate this cutting-edge technology.
Named the world’s most attractive city destination for 2021 in the Euromonitor’s Top 100 City Destination Index, Paris is just a two-hour flight from Shannon Airport. The city is known far and wide as the European epicentre of culture, cuisine, fashion, and style. Its beautiful boulevards, world-famous sights, rich history and breathtaking architecture provide the backdrop for a truly memorable experience. From the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, to Disneyland Paris and river trips along the Seine, visitors will be spoilt for choice.
Tickets are on sale on vueling.com and the airline’s mobile app. For more on the destination visit www.shannonairport.ie
✈️ NEW ROUTE NEWS ✈️
We're delighted to welcome today's announcement by @vueling of their new Shannon to Paris-Orly service! 🇫🇷
Fly direct Mondays & Fridays from September with @vueling from €30.99*!
Read more: https://t.co/gWZKqUEeRs#shannonairport #makingiteasy #newroute pic.twitter.com/l57zjN2piR
— Shannon Airport (@ShannonAirport) June 7, 2022
Saturday, June 4th
Shannon looks set to receive a welcome boost with the news that Spanish low-cost airline Vueling will commence a twice weekly service to Paris from September.
While no official announcement has yet been made, the airline is already selling tickets on the Shannon to Paris Orly route which will operate on Monday and Fridays from September 12th to March 24th 2023.
It will be the first time in almost seven years that passengers will have the option of flying to the French capital from Shannon.
Paris was previously served by both Ryanair and Aer Lingus both of whom axed their routes.
Ryanair had previously operated a service to Paris Beauvais but axed it in 2010 despite its success and profitability. The airline did so at the time in protest at Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) plans to increase passenger charges at Shannon by €1.53.
Aer Lingus took up the slack from the loss of that service by resuming flights to Paris Charles De Gaulle for the first time in almost a decade. The service was however short lived.
Ryanair later restarted the route again when the Irish Government abolished its controversial ‘travel tax’. Ryanair later confirmed, in 2016, that it would again drop the twice weekly service from October that year citing “aircraft capacity constraints.”
In November 2019, Aer Lingus confirmed that it would add two new routes to its Shannon schedule from 2020 including Paris. However, with the onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic, that plan was scrapped.
Aer Lingus however has not responded to a previous query in relation to commencing the announced Paris route.
Vueling is part of the IAG (International Airlines Group) which includes Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and others.
A comment is awaited from Shannon Airport and Vueling about the proposed new service.
