FreshAer Airlines, a new Irish airline, with plans to be based at Knock airport, has been granted landing rights at London's Heathrow airport commencing Summer 2001. It will also serve Dublin, London (Gatwick), London (Stansted), Birmingham and Manchester from Knock, with certain flights inter-connecting at Dublin.

The launch of the airline is the result of a three year study of the growth patterns in Ireland-UK passenger movements. A recent survey conducted by Market Research Ireland (MRI) has confirmed the airline's own findings, concluding that a traffic increase of up to 75% through the airport could be achieved in the short term, if FreshAer was allowed to develop routes originating at Knock. this would help alleviate some of the current congestion at Dublin airport, which has seen massive traffic growth in the past five years and is struggling to provide more terminal capacity to meet demand.

Surveys carried out by MRI indicate that passengers as far away as Athlone and Longford and bound for the UK and further afield would gladly travel to Knock, rather than negotiate the traffic chaos around Dublin, if a suitable choice of flights and timings was available from Knock. The airline intends to put in place coach connections at an affordable price, connecting to it's Knock flights, from all parts of Connaught.

Negotiations on the airline project, and planning for a 2001 start-up, have been ongoing for more than two years, with the Western Development Commission (WDC), based at Dillon House, Ballaghadereen, Co. Mayo, with a view to the Commission supporting the basing of FreshAer at Knock, and taking an equity stake in the airline. WDC involvement would be in line with the commission's commitment to the policies outlined in its document, BLUEPRINT FOR INVESTING IN THE WEST, published in October 1999. This comprehensive document followed an earlier commission document, Blueprint for Success, A Development Plan for the West 2000-2006. This report cited the absolute imperative for infra-structural investment, including expansion of services at Knock airport, forming a catalyst for increased business development, employment, and tourism growth in the BMW region. The airline has thus focussed on Knock airport as its future main base of operations.

FreshAer will initially focus on the Ireland-UK routes, but its long term plans call for a significant expansion into long haul operations, to destinations not currently accessible directly from any Irish Airport. These include Australia, Japan, China, and South America. Knock airport with its superb runway and state of the art landing system, is ideally placed to take advantage of these opportunities, to increase air traffic to Ireland from these parts of the world. The Board of Directors of Knock airport have offered the airline every assistance possible to develop its operations, including favourable landing and passenger charges, and office space at its soon to be developed, Business Park

Fundamental to the start-up of the new airline will be its approach to job creation in the West. Over 250 new, high quality, well-paid jobs, will be created within the airline in its first year of operation; the majority of those in Mayo. These will range from Pilots and Cabin Crew, to passenger Service Agents, to Mechanics and Engineers. The airline intends to sponsor local students and college graduates, for careers in the airline. A full range of in-house training courses will be developed, leading to qualification of local personnel as future Aircrew, Cabin Crew, Aircraft Mechanics and Engineers, Customer Service and Operations staff and other specialist airline functions. It is anticipated that employee levels will rise to over 600 within three years. This will complement the recent concern voiced by the WDC, over a lack of employment initiatives by the IDA and the lack of infra-structural development in the area.

The new airline has also been offered strong support from IBEC members, representing many of the large multinational companies in the Western counties and from the Western Chambers of Commerce. A spokesman for these organisations is quoted as saying, "We in this region cannot afford a situation whereby this new airline is not given a substantial hand to commence operations." The business community at large also believe that the new airline is vital to the long term commercial growth of the region.