Aer Lingus to close Shannon cargo facility

Aer Lingus has confirmed plans to close its cargo facility at Shannon Airport before the end of the year. The carrier, part of the International Airlines Group (IAG), has said a review of its operation in Shannon has been completed with a decision made to close the facility by the end of 2024. The airline also stated that significant capital investment is required at their cargo building in Shannon but the level of activity at the airport would not support this. Aer Lingus confirmed that IAG Cargo will commence consultation with impacted staff in the coming weeks. In a statement, Aer Lingus said: “IAG Cargo has completed a review of its operation at Shannon Airport and has taken a decision to close the facility by the end of 2024. This is because the building requires significant capital investment that is not supported by the level of cargo activity at Shannon Airport. The company will now enter a consultation process with staff representatives to explore the options. Every effort was made in the last few years to secure additional cargo business for the Shannon facility both locally and by diverting cargo from other areas, but regretfully it was concluded that the cargo operation for Ireland could no longer support a dedicated presence in Shannon, particularly in light of the fact that over 95% of all Shannon cargo travels by road to fly in or out of Dublin."<br/>