Busy summer expected at Donegal Airport

It looks like it will be a busy summer season at Donegal Airport which is located at Carrickfinn, Kincasscagh just a 15 minute drive from Dungloe and Gweedore. The airport is also only 45 mins from the busy town of Letterkenny. The first passenger services began in 1986 operated by Malinair, a Scottish airline who recognised the potential for carrying relations and friends between County Donegal and Glasgow. Recently Loganair the UK’s largest regional airline announced an increase in its Glasgow service from two to three times weekly for its summer 2023 schedule, between July and September. Flights will be on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Meanwhile the twice daily flights to Dublin Airport remain very popular. These are operated by Emerald Airlines (Aer Lingus Regional). The early morning departures suit both business and leisure sectors and the growth rate has been significant year on year. The introduction of the ATR 72 turboprop with improved fuel efficiency has been well received by passengers on this route for both comfort and performance.

Flight time is 55 minutes with choice of onward connections worldwide. Passengers arrive and depart from T2 in Dublin and are allowed avail of the flight connections corridor to access their departure gate. Self -connecting passengers with cabin baggage only and valid boarding card for any same day onward flight can also use the corridor without needing to clear immigration and security screen channels at the airport.

A spokesperson for the airport told Senior Times that year to date overall traffic figures show a 17per cent increase on 2022. “Several carbon reductions actions have been taken including both the runway and internal lighting systems being converted to LED, a rainwater harvesting tank for training and airport maintenance, solar panels installed in 2022, electric vehicles replacing ground equipment and public EV charging points in our car park.” The airport is also used by the Air Corps, Marine Search and Rescue Services and private charters.

www.donegalairport.ie