New public service contracts linking regions along the western seaboard to Dublin by air have been announced by the newly created Department of Transport. The routes, which will cost the Exchequer €56 million in subventions for the next three years, will be operated by Aer Arann Express and EuroCeltic Airways following a public tendering process.
Aer Arann already operates daily services from Kerry, Galway and Knock and has retained these under the new terms. Aer Arann will continue to provide the extra daily return flight which was introduced last year.
EuroCeltic is to provide early morning weekday flights out of Donegal and Sligo as well as a weekday late evening return flight, timed to more appropriately meet the demands of business passengers.
The announcement was made today by Minister for Transport, Seamus Brennan TD.
