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Aer Lingus announces new route from Heathrow to Knock

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Aer Lingus is to launch a new route from Heathrow to Knock in the West of Ireland in March.
The new daily Aer Lingus service will start on 26 March 2023 and boost links to the West of Ireland, helping enhance the local economy and domestic tourism.

It replaces the current Aer Lingus Gatwick to Knock service, which ends on 25 March 2023 and will see the airline’s customers already booked on the route automatically rebooked on a same day flight at no additional cost.*

Aer Lingus expects switching the service from Gatwick to Heathrow will drive additional point-to-point demand and increased connecting traffic.

With 42% of Ireland’s inbound visitors coming from the UK, Aer Lingus aims to take advantage of the growing trend of ‘screen tourism’, which Tourism Ireland has identified as a key opportunity for 2023.

The Oscar nominated film, Banshees of Inisherin, starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, is wowing critics and audiences alike and showcasing the West of Ireland to a global audience. Knock’s Ireland West Airport is also a gateway to the Wild Atlantic Way, with nine of the fifteen signature discovery view points located within a 60-80 minute drive from the airport.

Today’s announcement reinforces Aer Lingus’s commitment to Knock, as its airport continues to rebound from the pandemic, with passenger numbers increasing by a massive 314% last year, reaching 89% of the record-breaking year of 2019.

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Reid Moody, Aer Lingus Chief Strategy and Planning Officer,  said: “Our new route from Heathrow to Knock, accompanied with further network connectivity for our customers, is exciting for Aer Lingus and for the West of Ireland. With a direct service to one of Europe’s busiest airports, customers from the West will now be able to easily connect from Heathrow to destinations right across the globe.

“The service will also drive inbound tourism at a time when interest in visiting the West of Ireland is very high, with the Oscar nominated Banshees of Inisherin showcasing the beauty of the West of Ireland to millions of people globally.”

Joe Gilmore, Ireland West Airport Managing Director, said: “The airport is absolutely delighted to welcome today’s announcement of a new daily service to London Heathrow with Aer Lingus. This is a major development for the West and Northwest regions as it opens key onward connectivity, through one of Europe’s biggest hubs, to over 80 destinations worldwide.

“The hub status of Heathrow for businesses to connect with the global marketplace is a potential game changer for this region, and from a tourism perspective the service will deliver a significant increase in tourism visits from all corners of the globe.

“I have no doubt the service will get huge support from the business community and leisure travellers both here and abroad and we thank Aer Lingus for this strong vote of confidence in the airport and the West of Ireland region.”

Source: Breaking Travel News

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