The Shannon Airport Authority is to offer reduced airport charges in a bid to attract new airlines to fly from Shannon to key European hubs in London Heathrow, Paris, Amsterdam, and Frankfurt.
The Authority says the development of such services will provide connectivity for passengers to worldwide destinations for both business and leisure purposes.
The new package of route support incentives involves a five-year discount package for qualifying airlines for passenger service, security, parking airbridge and runway movement charges.
The discount would be 70% for the first two years after launching a service, 60% in year three, 50% in year four, and 30% for year five.
After the five-year period, all airport charges would be calculated at the standard rate.
Only new routes launched in the calendar year 2008 will qualify for the discounts.
The service must be non-stop, and promoted both as a connecting route to a hub and as a destination in its own right.
To qualify for the discounts, the new service must offer an obvious net economic benefit to Shannon Airport.
The new flights must also operate at the peak passenger periods to maximise traffic through the airport.
The Mayor of Clare has welcomed the announcement.
Councillor Patricia McCarthy expressed disappointment however that the authority had delayed in developing and offering such incentives.
