New Shannon-Toronto Route To Take Off Next Summer

0:00Yeah, this is really positive. As you know, we haven't had a direct service from Shannon into Toronto since 2018. A lot of work has been ongoing between management at the airport and Canada to try to get it back operational. I was in Canada back in early 2025. I used the opportunity having conversations with the airport to engage with Canada at the time. There was a strong interest at the time they made it clear that they wanted to work on it and would look at it again when aircraft became available. So, very pleased now, obviously, that Air Canada have been able to deal with the airport and open up from next summer onwards, three days a week service directly between Shannon and Toronto. I mean, that's very positive for the airport. It's very positive for Shannon region generally for the wider, clear economy, but also for the Midwest generally from both tourism and the business perspective.

1:00You would be aware that relationships between Canada and the United States are of an all-time low and Canada is looking to better and closer engagement with Europe from an exports perspective, from a tourism perspective, from a business perspective. So, getting this flight now is really important in embracing the new opportunities that exist for Ireland and Europe and its engagement with Canada. Yeah, you touched on the various relationships there and your own time in Canada and I suppose given the fractious nature of relationships with the US at the moment, good for business links between Ireland and Canada too. Yeah, I think it's very clear I've had a number of conversations with the Prime Minister of Canada, Marcarony, just about what their longer-term view is now that relationships have effectively broken down with the United States. The Canada Prime Minister and government are seeing new opportunities around the world, but particularly in Europe.

2:01So, there is, I think, considerable opportunities for Ireland now to export more into Canada to take some imports from Canada to increase the trade between the two countries and when trade increases, movement of people increases, tourism increases, and that's where a service like this now between Shannon and Toronto on a direct service. I'll be it for the tourism season, it won't be year-round, but if we can build on what's now being offered, obviously the long-term ambition would be to get it seven days a week and for the longer-term ambition would be to have it year-round, but it's a really good start into a market that's looking to build new routes, new connectivity, and new economic activities as well, which is what we're all about in this region. Yeah, and you said that there probably the best place to start in terms of the time period for it, in terms of getting extra visitors into Claire

3:01and using it as a branching point, I suppose, for Canadian tourists into the county. Yeah, and I think what we see about tourism from North America generally, Canada, the United States, it's principally tourism along the west coast in the forced instance, and it's in those kind of summer months. But as has happened with many of the routes from the United States as well, business densies opportunities, and you know, we are a significant attractor of inward investment into the Shannon and White and Midwest region. The new opportunities emerging now around big data, data centers, and how that might open up your opportunities. So by having the, I suppose, the first level of connectivity, that's really positive. And it's something that we can build on. And I think a huge debt of gratitude goes to the management team down at Shannon Airport who have been working on this pretty much since the route was eliminated back in 2018.

4:04They've never given up on it. And I think it speaks volumes of their, their nimbleness and their interest in, in, in, in drawing the passenger traffic through the airport. So a debt of gratitude is, is, is going to all the team there. And just very finely, you mentioned the frequency of the flight three times a week out of Shannon. That's important to not to just install it and have it at a time where maybe people can't access it, but have multiple options throughout the course of the week. Yeah, and I mean, I think of course we'd like it to be more. And my view will be that it can be and it will be three days a week from, from a starting point of view is very good. Have an at one, one day a week, I think, would have been difficult. I know it would facilitate those people who would come for a full week, but, but you're right, there, there is need for, you know, greater flexibility. And I think three days a week gives that flexibility, increases the, the, the, the, the footfall into the region and makes Shannon a very viable offering.

5:04For those who might just want to come to the Midwest for a number of days, travel on to other parts of the country and maybe exit through Dublin or wherever or onwards to Europe, as is after the case, but, but, but three days return. You know, is, is, is a huge vote of confidence in the airport and in the wider Midwest region.