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If you would like to read more about Kerry Airport, see our book Kerry in the Jet Age (Kerry Airport 1969 – 2009) written by Donal Hickey. Beautifully illustrated with archive images. It is available from the Kerry Airport Departures Lounge Shop.
Kerry Airport was incorporated as a public limited company in July 1968 with its main objective of building and managing an airport at Farranfore. Various share capital fund raising programmes were undertaken and together with great assistance from the various statutory bodies over the years, the airport has developed from a runway of 1,090 metres x 23 metres commissioned in 1969 to a runway of 1,239m x 30m commissioned in 1989 and a new runway of 2,000m x 45m was opened in May 1994.
On the 25th August 1969 the first aircraft to land at Kerry Airport was piloted by Captain Milo Carr of the Department of Transport & Power. For a number of years the only aircraft using the aerodrome were light private aircraft and the occasional charter or cargo flight and also extensive parachuting took place. The first scheduled service was inaugurated in July 1979 using an islander aircraft operated by Aer Arann.
Encouraged by the apparent success of other regional airports in Ireland, the Board of Directors drew up a development plan to lengthen and widen the runway to 1,200m x 30m and to extend and upgrade the Terminal Buildings and to install an Instrument Landing System and appropriate lighting.
The runway was completed on schedule and the first scheduled flight into Kerry was on the 22nd May 1989 from Dublin by Aer Lingus followed the next day by Ryanair from London-Luton. On the 21st May 1993, the contract for the new runway of 2,000m x 45m and New Terminal was signed and the official “Sod Turning” was performed by An Tanaiste, Mr. Dick Spring TD.
The Runway 08/26 was licensed by the IAA on the 20th May 1994 and the first flight landed at 13:23 local time on the 20th May. It was a PA28 aircraft registration G-BLSD FROM Manchester and was piloted by C.Gurley. This was followed by the first commercial flight by Aer Lingus, a Saab 340. Its registration was EI-CFD and it was commanded by Captain Peter Heinz.
Today Kerry Airport currently offers scheduled direct flights to Dublin, London-Stansted, London-Luton, Berlin, and Frankfurt-Hahn with seasonal flights to Alicante & Faro. As well as the scheduled services it also handles several Ad-Hoc charter flights to Lourdes, Fatima and Medjugorje. The airport is constantly sourcing new routes that will be sustainable and of social and economical benefit to those living, working and holidaying in the region of Kerry.
Gallery
Route Development
At Kerry Airport we are committed to continuous route development, to provide direct access into Kerry for visitors worldwide. For the first six months of 2019 Kerry Airport welcomed 171,140 passengers, representing a 2% growth for the same period in 2018. With daily access to Dublin Airport with Aer Lingus Regional, passengers can connect worldwide from Kerry Airport.
Kerry Airport is situated in the South West of Ireland, and after Dublin (capital) this region is the most visited for holidaymakers in Ireland, as noted by Failte Ireland, the region attracts 26% of all holiday makers after Dublin, which attracts 37%. However, it is widely recognised that many visitors spend a relatively short time in Dublin.
Kerry is a leader in tourism with 1.3 million overseas visitors spending €337 million in the county in 2017, and in the same year Kerry accounted for 14% of overseas visitors to Ireland. Currently 27% of all U.K. visitors to Ireland will stay in the South West region. In 2017 32% of French visitors to Ireland visited Kerry and in the same year 27% of all Italian visitors to Ireland visited the county (source – Tourism Ireland).
Why Kerry Airport?
Kerry is Ireland’s premier tourist destination, welcoming over 1.3 million visitors annually.
We at Kerry Airport are unique in our “can do” attitude and our stakeholders are heavily invested working in a partnership to attract and secure business, extend a warm welcome and wow visitors to our very special part of Ireland.
Our expert team will work directly with you on all co-operative marketing to reach all audiences both in Ireland and in destination marketing overseas.
We have an enviable position along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way with world renowned iconic visitor attractions to match the motivations of the Culturally Curious, Great Escapers and Social Energisers.
Contact
Contact:
Johh Mulhern, C.E.O., Kerry Airport
Email: john.mulhern@kerryairport.ie
Phone: +353 66 9764644
