TWO MONTHS TO TAKE-OFF AND SEATS SALES ARE ALREADY FLYING
The first scheduled flights to New York and Boston from Ireland West Airport Knock are just two months away from take-off and together with Scottish low-cost airline flyglobespan, Ireland West Airport are delighted at the response from passengers to the new service. Since the announcement in January 50 % of all seats on the Boston route and 40% on the New York route to the end of October are already sold.
In two months flyglobespan will begin the much anticipated transatlantic services to Boston and New York with three flights a week to New York’s JFK Airport and two services a week to Boston. The inaugural flight to New York will take-off on May 27th and the first flight to Boston will depart Ireland West Airport on May 30th. Already, flights for the first month of operation are filling fast with New York flights already 77% full and the Boston flight being 84% full. Passengers from both sides of the Atlantic have taken up on the competitive prices offer by flyglobespan, with fares starting from only €219 including taxes.
Commenting on the phenomenal response and sales on the new transatlantic routes Tom Dalrymple, Chairman, flyglobespan said: “We have had a very encouraging response since our service was announced. With two months of selling time still available until they take-off, these routes are already showing signs of great success. I am delighted we can launch these services to Ireland West Airport Knock and give exciting travel opportunities at such fantastic prices,”
Liam Scollan, Managing Director, Ireland West Airport Knock said: “The Airport is most heartened by people’s response on both sides of the Atlantic, given that we only announced flights two months ago. Flyglobespan is the airline that responded to this airport and the people in the west of Ireland and east coast US by making the transatlantic dream happen and they deserve more and more support for their belief in the west of Ireland.”
In a joint initiative, flyglobespan, Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Ireland West Airport Knock are running an international marketing campaign to promote and to provide maximum coverage to the new transatlantic service. An advertising campaign has been rolled out in the US, incorporating exciting full colour advertisements in all major newspapers in both New York and Boston featuring the West of Ireland. On this side of the Atlantic the advertising campaign has been positioned on both a national and regional level. Advertisements have been placed in all media across the region and in the next two weeks a new and exciting commercial will be aired on national radio. The new commercial is based on the infamous Martin Luther King speech “I have a Dream” and delivers the key messages while addressing the strong market demand and hope of direct flights from Ireland West Airport Knock to the United States.
Members of the Ireland West Airport Knock team recently travelled to the United States for the St Patrick’s Week celebrations in New York and Boston to promote the new transatlantic services and received a positive response to the new routes. Marketing Manager for the Airport, Annette Kearney, said “We addressed almost 20 large gatherings of the Irish in New York and Boston, did numerous interviews with media and we were overwhelmed with the joy and enthusiasm from everyone. The sales figures, which have been provided by flyglobespan, is an indication of the positive support and a sign that the active promotion and marketing campaign is working effectively and the West and North West Region of Ireland is getting far better known in the US.”
Liam Scollan continued: “Our Airport team is looking forward to the inauguration of these services in May. Flyglobespan is an award winning airline with a turn over of £200 million in 2006, it is a well established and competitive airline in the industry that has supported us in promoting the New York and Boston routes from Ireland West Airport and as a result achieved impressive sale figures so far.”
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