Shannon's "Trans-Atlantic gateway" status which is under threat from a proposed EU-US open skies agreement, has been a fundamental part of Ireland's bilateral air service agreements with the United States since 1945.
In 1947 Shannon became the first customs-free airport in the world and introduced the world's first duty free shop.
With the arrival of the jet on the aviation scene the customs free zone was extended to an industrial base around the airport and this underpinned Irish manufacturing and exporting in the region from 1960 onwards. Shannon Airport and its free zone quickly became the starting point for American tourism and US direct investment in the Republic. The Shannon free zone is now home to 125 corporations, employing in excess of 8,000 people.
A 1997 study by consultants Alistair Tucker for the Mid West Regional Authority reckoned that 2,500 on-site jobs, 5,000 tourism related jobs and 29,000 indirect west of Ireland jobs depend on it.
Direct access to all carriers to Dublin was conceded by government in 1994 but the air services agreement was amended to stipulate that half of all US flights should continue to serve Shannon. By 2002 the US accounted for just 35 per cent of all flights at Shannon. Some 2.2 million passengers use the airport each year.It has a capacity for a further two million passengers a year and is seeking Government help in becoming a major US gateway, not just into Ireland but to Europe.
In addition to the possible loss of gate- way status, people in Shannon are concer- ned Government plans to break up Aer Rianta will leave it weakened and unable to fight back in an "open skies" scenario.
