Pictured at Shannon Airport this morning are Rugby fans from Sligo and Galway heading out to Paris on the inaugural Aer Lingus Shannon to Paris Charles de Gaulle flight today (Friday 22nd September). Left to right are Noel Molloy, Joe Shanahan, Brendan Kellers, Kevin Whiriskey, Stephen McDonald, Pat McDonagh, Kieran Brady and Seamus Brady.
New gateway for passengers to the Wild Atlantic Way and Rugby World Cup
Friday 22nd September 2023: Shannon Airport staff said “Bonjour” this morning to the airport’s new service to Paris Charles de Gaulle with Aer Lingus.
The City of Lights bound flight took to the skies as the new route commences today (Friday the 22nd of September) and will run until January 7th, 2024, before taking a short break and recommencing on March 14th to October 29th, 2024.
The year-round service, timed to coincide with the Rugby World Cup, saw plenty of Ireland fans board the Airbus A321 Neo just in time for the Ireland vs South Africa match this Saturday, while staff at Shannon welcomed inbound passengers later in the morning, from the world-famous European city.
Pictured at Shannon Airport this morning (Friday 22nd September) heading out to Paris on the inaugural Aer Lingus Shannon to Paris Charles de Gaulle service are Julie and Keating Dickerson from Drumline, Co. Clare.
Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group said, “After a busy peak summer season, it is fabulous to see passengers aboard the first flight of our new Aer Lingus service to Charles de Gaulle. In addition to creating a gateway to the Rugby World Cup, we know this will be a popular destination for family, friends, and couples alike, wanting to explore the history, culture, and cuisine of Paris, while providing a vital connection from Shannon to a major European City.
“This service is another win for the region. It will not only boost the West of Ireland economy, but it will also be of great benefit to the rich and diverse tourism trade all along the Wild Atlantic Way. We are delighted to work with our long-standing airline partners Aer Lingus, to provide this fantastic service,” Ms Considine continued.
Donal Moriarty, Aer Lingus Chief Corporate Affairs Officer said, “We are delighted to commence this new direct service from Shannon to Paris re-establishing the connection between both airports after an absence of 12 years, offering customers travelling a convenient connection to the French capital.
“The new Shannon to Paris route will give those in the West of Ireland more opportunities for leisure and business travel as well as an influx of tourism opportunities to the region. It’s also great to welcome the many Ireland fans on board to bring home advantage to France,” he said.
The new service will be a major boost for Shannon and is expected to be an extremely popular destination for leisure and business travellers. The service is timed to allow for passengers travelling from Paris to connect onwards from Shannon to New York JFK and Boston via Aer Lingus.
Charles de Gaulle is one of Europe’s busiest airports serving 119 countries worldwide.
