CityJet/Air France offers greater Global Connectivity at Shannon

Paris Charles de Gaulle will provide over 35% more non-stop destinations than Heathrow.
 
Shannon Airport has today, December 14, 2007, welcomed the announcement by CityJet and Air France of the commencement on February 4th next of a Shannon to Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) service as a major breakthrough for businesses across the West of Ireland.
 
The decision by the Air France/KLM subsidiary to take up on the attractive Shannon Airport European Hub Incentives Offer made available in the autumn will result in twice-daily services that will provide connectivity to 248 non-stop destinations from Paris Charles de Gaulle. This compares with the 169 destinations out of Heathrow. Furthermore, connectivity is also guaranteed to another 840 onward destinations through the Skyteam Alliance of which the Air France/KLM group is a member.
 
Commenting on the announcement, Shannon Airport Director Mr Martin Moroney said that the decision is a hugely significant development for businesses in the West as they are now guaranteed greater than ever connectivity to key international markets through the region’s gateway airport in Shannon.
 
“We are particularly pleased with this announcement by CityJet as it is not alone a member of the world’s largest airline, Air France/KLM, but is part of the Skyteam global alliance which will guarantee connectivity to every key international market there is. Since the announcement by Aer Lingus of its intention to terminate the service between Shannon and London Heathrow, we have worked extremely hard to source a replacement link to a major European hub. In securing the CityJet service to Charles de Gaulle, we believe that Shannon has found a top quality partner in its efforts to continue the growth of the Airport and to enhance business and tourism connectivity in the West of Ireland.”
 
Shannon Airport Authority Chairman Mr Pat Shanahan expressed his appreciation to CityJet CEO Geoffrey O’Byrne-White for his commitment and predicted that the decision will in time prove to be a very sound business move.
 
“We are delighted to have developed this relationship with Mr O’Byrne-White and his team at CityJet and we look forward to furthering it by building this service into the success we know it will be and expanding into other key European hubs. We are also grateful that both Shannon Development and Tourism Ireland will be working closely with CityJet to market this service internationally.
 
“There is a very significant demand in this region for onward connectivity to key international markets, principally of course from the business community, and this fits the CityJet model very well. This not alone gives this region connectivity to over 840 destinations but it also gives these international markets access to this region, which amounts to a very significant business development opportunity for the West of Ireland. It is essential, therefore, that everybody works together to ensure that this service will be an unqualified success for CityJet, for Shannon and for the entire region,” said Mr Shanahan.
 
ENDS
 
For further information, contact:
 
Eugene Hogan, Account Director, FD
Tel: +353 (0)87 2497290
 or 
Eugene Pratt, Shannon Airport,
Tel: +353 (0)87 2453865