This article is from page 22 of the 2012-06-26 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 22 JPG
THE opportunity for Shannon Airport to strengthen its place in the global business aviation sector will be explored at a major conference attended by key international players at Dromoland Castle this week.
The second annual Irish Business Aviation Convention, hosted jointly by Shannon Airport and Shannon Development, on Wednesday and Thursday, will hear a number of leading figures discuss not just Shannon’s emerging role in the sector but also a range of opportunities and challenges facing the industry globally.
Among those speaking at the event will be Transport Minister Leo Varadkar, who will give a key note address on ‘Irish Aviation: Challenges and Opportunities’.
“The aviation industry presents enormous opportunities for Shannon, and for Ireland, in terms of job creation and economic growth. As we face into a crucial period for the Shannon’s future, the airport’s longstanding expertise in the aviation gives it a vital head-start,” said Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar.
“This conference is ideal opportunity to tease out options for the aviation sector in Shannon, and for Ireland as a whole,” he added.
Shannon Airport director Mary Considine said that the conference is a timely opportunity to showcase Shannon’s potential to become a key player in the global aviation industry in the years ahead.
“Last year’s inaugural event was widely applauded by the industry, with the presence of representatives from the biggest operators in the business being a real vote of confidence in relation to our global reputation in this industry,” said Ms Considine.
“This year’s event will build on that, with an even stronger line-up of national and international speakers set to give insights into this very significant and exciting aviation sector. Shannon already has an excellent international reputation for delivering a top quality service to operators of business (private and corporate) jets. It is regularly used by some of the world’s highest net worth individuals and corporate entities. Last year, in a challenging year, we had over 4,500 business jet movements in and out of the airport, a slight increase on 2010. Our plan now is to build on this and broaden Shannon’s role as a potential business aviation hub.”
“This is Ireland’s only business aviation convention and the fact that it is being held in Shannon is testament to our rich aviation history,” said Shannon Development Chief Executive Dr Vincent Cunanne.
Among the other guest speakers are CEO of Avolon, Ennis nativeDomhnal Slattery, aviation consultant Brendan McQuaid and former NASA astronaut and space shuttle commander Bill Readdy.