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Belfast City Airport (George Best): The long-delayed public inquiry into the proposed runway extension at Belfast City Airport has been suspended to allow further submissions by the airport to be considered by the Planning Appeals Commission. The Commission had said the inquiry would be held later this year - but this latest development may put the timetable in doubt. The Airport’s decision to make a further submission follows bmibaby’s announcement that it operate seven new European routes without the need for a runway extension. Local residents opposed to a runway extension at Belfast City Airport have also criticised proposed planning changes that they believe could make it easier to pass the controversial development. Draft planning policy guidance would mean the economic implications of a proposed development may be the determining factor in approving a planning application, lobby group Belfast City Airport Watch (BCAW) has said.

Belfast International Airport (Aldergrove): Belfast International Airport has found an innovative way to increase revenue by introducing a smoker’s fee!  While designated smoking areas are available outside the main terminal building, the airside smoking facility, situated after security beside Bar des Voyageurs, now has a coin operated door and there is a £1 (€1.15) fee to use it. Belfast is the first airport in the UK to introduce such a charge but it is likely to be followed by others. It already costs £1 to drop travellers at the airport, while there is another £1 fee for a pack of plastic bags to get through security. A spokesman for the airport said it was responding to customer demand and the fee was covering the cost of building the smoking area.

Dublin Airport: More than 250,000 passengers travelled through Dublin Airport over the course of the June Bank Holiday weekend from 3rd-6th June. Overall traffic figures are encouraging with almost 5.4 million people having passed through Dublin Airport in the first four months of this year, a 5.8% increase on the same period last year. International passengers increased by 7% during this period although domestic air travel has continued to decline.

May’s traffic for Dublin should have received a massive boost thanks to the Europa League football final on 18th May which was the busiest day ever in the history of the airport in terms of aircraft movements. Measures introduced by the Government including a cut in the VAT rate from 13.5% to 9 % and moves to end the controversial travel tax should boost the struggling tourism industry and airport passenger numbers. Dublin is also likely to benefit from increases in UK Airport Passenger Duty (APD) which has seen some 200,000 people from Northern Ireland using Dublin Airport and its long-haul and transatlantic routes. That figure would be closer to 300,000 if Belfast International Airport didn't have Continental's route to New York-Newark. Meanwhile SIPTU has informed management that it is suspending its involvement in any current processes related to agreed cost recovery measures in Dublin's Terminal One, "until such time as we are satisfied the Company will honour in full the spirit and detail" of the current agreement.

Galway Airport: The managing director of Galway Airport, Joe Walsh, says there is a real risk of the facility's closing down because of a Government decision (see ‘Regional Airports’) to end state funding for the airport from the end of the year. His comments come in spite of the decision to provide almost €6m in additional state funding this year to six regional airports including Galway and Sligo. Galway is expected to receive about €1.7 million this year from the taxpayer to support its operations and Mr. Walsh said around 59,000 passengers passed through Galway Airport last year. However following a board meeting on 14th June, a statement said that it is confident about the airport's future despite a decision to cut off all State funding by the end of the year. It added “the Board has commenced the necessary engagement process with stakeholders and industry specialists to ensure the airport's long term future”. Looking at the overall figures from the CSO, Galway airport had 24,329 non Public Service Obligation (PSO) passengers passing through its doors in the last three months of 2010, 99% of whom travelled on the three Aer Arann routes to Luton (14,774), Manchester (5,739) and Edinburgh (3,670). Total non PSO passengers in 2010 were 110,066. However, passenger numbers on the Aer Arann PSO Galway-Dublin route, in the last three years has decreased by two thirds. Earlier this year Galway Airport was been involved in Air Traffic Control training for international students having been asked by ASTAC UK, the Air Traffic Control Training facility at Shoreham Airport to facilitate two weeks of ATC familiarisation in Galway during March. Two Spanish students Sergio Ribera and Pablo Garcia who had completed their basic training joined the Galway ATC team to get some first hand experience and the airport is looking forward to developing the opportunity to host more students over the coming months.

Kerry Airport: Statistics for Kerry Airport show a remarkable stability in total passenger numbers for the period 2005/06 to 2009/10 (year ended 31st October in each case). Ryanair actually carried less traffic Kerry-Dublin than Aer Arann - even when it was operating the PSO. London and German traffic have been quite stable with Ryanair flights to Alicante and Faro making up for a decline of 34% in domestic traffic over the period. During the whole of 2010 CSO figures show that the airport handled 315,329 non PSO passengers with top routes being Luton (88,126), Stansted (83,076), Hahn (74,979), Alicante (21,992), Faro (21,353), Niederrhein (14,875) and Manchester (8,750). Management at Kerry Airport have held talks with a number of low-cost airlines over the past number of weeks encouraging interest in bidding for the regional Kerry to Dublin PSO route which will come up for tender again next month.

Regional Airports: In confirming €5.9 million in additional funding for regional airports for this year in his announcement of 7th June Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar also announced the more significant decision that the Government would only be in a position to support the four regional airports at Donegal, Knock Ireland West, Kerry and Waterford. The Minister urged Galway and Sligo airports to use the opportunity provided by the additional funding to engage with various parties, including business interests, investors and local authorities, in order to secure their ongoing viability in some form. He added “The right thing to do is support the most viable airports, where there is also a clear geographical need for their services. Otherwise there won’t be enough funding to support any of the airports in a meaningful way”. The decision ensures that there is a sufficient network of regional airports, taking into account significant improvements in road networks, shorter journey times by road and rail, and the collapse in passengers flying domestically. In spite of the announcement that the airport is to lose its state subvention its managing director of Sligo Airport, Joe Corcoran, said he was confident it would survive.

In 2010, the total programme cost €21.2 million including PSO payments of €15.08 million. With the additional funding of €5.9 million, the Minister is now planning to spend €19.3 million in 2011. While this is a reduction of €1.9 million on last year, (less than 10%) the Minister noted that the pervious Government failed to provide sufficient funding leaving him with just €600,000 when he took office. PSO operations will be suspended from late July but will be resumed on a much smaller scale from 3rd November. For 2011-14, the Department is offering exclusivity to a successful candidate on the remaining two PSO routes, Dublin-Donegal and Dublin-Kerry. At least 80% of seats on each flight have to be offered for no more than €80 (one way). On Kerry-Dublin a minimum of 90 seats per day in each direction, year-round, is required. Monday to Friday, a morning flight from Kerry and an evening flight Kerry-Dublin are required to permit passengers on business trips to make a round trip within the day.  Last time round, the Kerry PSO required three daily round trips with a minimum of 135 seats in each direction. On both routes, aircraft have to be pressurised and offer at least 30 seats and bidders are to show experience of scheduled passenger operations. It will be interesting to see how Ryanair respond given that they withdrew from the Kerry PSO but continue to operate a mid-day daily service. With their continued presence on the route it is difficult to see how it could be viable for anyone else. Ryanair has already said it would tender for the subsidised route again despite having pulled out of it previously. “If it goes ahead, we will tender for it,” a spokesman said on 13th June.

Knock Airport: 30th May 2011 marked the 25th anniversary of the opening of Ireland West Airport Knock. The airport now serves more UK destinations than any other airport on the west coast and is rapidly expanding its offering of sun holiday destinations. 2011 is set to mark the busiest year in the history of the airport when it is envisaged that it will achieve a new high of 640,000 passengers. From its humble beginnings the airport now serves 25 international destinations and hosts four of Europe’s biggest international carriers in Ryanair, Aer Lingus, flybe and bmibaby. From the start the airport signalled its international status. With a runway long enough to land large aircraft, Monsignor Horan, its charismatic founder, was able to charter the first flight to Rome in 1985. Sadly, the Monsignor passed to his eternal reward in 1986. Commenting on this significant milestone Airport Chairman, Liam Scollan, said “To understand the phenomenon that is popularly known as Knock Airport you have to see it as not just a place and an airport but a state of mind.  Right from the time of Monsignor Horan all of us connected with it have had to draw on reserves of endurance, innovation and even defiance. We are now the fourth largest airport in the State and have 40% share of the UK market from the West of Ireland. Provided we continue to have that spirit there will be a good future and maybe one day we will be the second largest airport in the country.”

Shannon Airport: The Director of Shannon Airport, Mary Considine has congratulated Delta Air Lines on its 25th anniversary of operations at Shannon, stating that this milestone achievement is a clear recognition of the continued great demand for transatlantic flights between the USA and the West of Ireland. The Delta service is one of four operating over the summer season serving Boston, New York, Toronto and Newark - providing one-stop connections to hundreds of destinations across America which is essential for business connectivity and the continued growth of tourism. From 26th May until 6th September Continental Airlines (United Continental Holdings) will operates services from its New York hub and Newark hub.

Waterford Airport: The chief executive of Waterford Airport Graham Doyle has admitted that the new route to Southend is proving to be a ‘hard sell’ for Aer Arann who switched some of its Luton flights to Southend as part of a deal with the Stobbart Group who invested in the airline last year. Southend has a rail connection to Liverpool Street in London and Mr. Doyle says those who've used it so far have been impressed.