Airport welcomes grant support from Mayo County Council

IRELAND West Airport has welcomed the decision taken at yesterday's Mayo County Council budget meeting to allocate a grant of €150,000 to support the airport during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The motion was proposed by Councillor Damien Ryan and unanimously supported by all members of the council.

The airport are forecasting expected losses of close to €4 million this year, with passenger traffic collapsing from 807,000 passengers in 2019 to an estimated 145,000 passengers in 2020 – a passenger level last experienced in 1995.

Welcoming the support, Arthur French, chairman, Ireland West Airport, said: “I wish to sincerely thank Councillor Damian Ryan, Mayo County Council chief executive Peter Duggan and its elected members for the announcement, which will provide support for the expected record losses that the airport will incur both this year and in 2021.

“The strong support and backing of Mayo County Council is hugely appreciated and recognises the critical importance of Ireland West Airport for the people of Mayo and beyond.

“The strong recovery of the aviation sector and the restoration of vital air access into regional Ireland is of critical importance to Mayo and the wider region.”