Shannon Airport is not just targeting increased passenger figures but is also aiming to establish itself as a gateway to one of the world’s top international equine breeding destinations.
The recent arrival of six thoroughbred mares, for a leading Irish stud, was also the first scheduled transportation of horses into Shannon with Turkish Airlines Cargo.
The delicate cargo arrived last month in the prime of health, having been looked after by expert handlers, including a vet, on board during the four hour flight to Shannon.
The airport is no stranger to handling horses and has many years’ of experience in handling thoroughbreds regularly welcoming chartered cargo flights carrying horses.
These were however the first horses in many years to arrive in Shannon on a regular scheduled cargo flight.
Turkish Airlines initially launched a once weekly service to Chicago via Shannon lat year with the flight making refuelling and technical stop at the mid west airport.
Now, Turkish Cargo operates all-cargo air services on Thursday, Friday and Sunday from Istanbul to New York, Chicago and Atlanta via Shannon, significantly boosting options for Irish importers and exporters, from multi-nationals to SMEs and local businesses.
Shannon Group Strategy Director and International Aviation Services Centre (IASC) Managing Director Patrick Edmond said that Shannon intends to capitalise on the rich equine tradition in its catchment.
“There is a huge tradition of breeding across this region, not least in counties like Limerick, Tipperary and Clare. Some of the finest studs in the world are here, and Shannon is the gateway to this area,” he said.
“The equine sector is huge business for Ireland. It not alone brings in some of the world’s top horses but also some of the world’s top business people. Shannon’s catchment includes a number of the world’s leading studs and our staff has a proud history of handling these precious thoroughbreds,” he added.
“We hope to increase this business in future and the recent Turkish Cargo flight with these thoroughbred animals was an opportunity again to show what we can do. Horses are often transported through Shannon on special charter flights, but this scheduled flight opens up an attractive and cost-effective new option for owners.
It demonstrates that this Turkish Cargo service is a huge boost not only for exporters but also, based on the arrival of these horses, for highly valuable imports as well,” Mr Edmond said.
“Shannon Group has identified a major opportunity for the development of an air-freight hub at the airport, with large volumes of Irish air cargo exports currently being trucked to UK airports due to a lack of suitable direct flights from Ireland,” he added.