By Barry Coughlan
With a yearly passenger throughput approaching 2 million, Shannon Airport provides space for incoming and outgoing users with a level of calm and flexibility not always enjoyed in busier airports.
But the facilities are still more than adequate for even the most demanding clients, who can eat, drink and shop to their hearts’ content while waiting for departure or simply on arrival.
And in the case of USA bound passengers, the provision of US pre-Customs clearance is a bonus not enjoyed in many other countries.
It makes a visit or trip back home to the much more crowded airports of the USA a more pleasant experience too, knowing that passengers have just to pick up luggage on arrival.
Shannon has a good mix of flights and passenger numbers broken up between dozens of destinations in Europe and Britain, plus the USA which provides about 25 per cent of throughput. The European and British links give transit passengers arriving in Ireland an excellent choice of onward destinations.
Pre-departure area passengers and those arriving have access to a well presented and busy restaurant and bar just inside the terminal building and within quick and easy walking distance of public transport links to dozens of Irish destinations, north, south, east and further west.
JJ Ruddles Bar & Restaurant is Shannon Airport’s newest eatery, combines the best of Irish ingredients with an Italian twist. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there is something for all tastes including a kid’s menu in a relaxed, comfortable spot, ideal for passengers and non-passengers alike.
You’ll find it in the central concourse on the ground floor, and it’s the perfect pit-stop when arriving off a long flight with an empty stomach, and the facility is open to perfectly link with all flights, arriving and departing from 5 am each day.
There are other varied restaurant and bar facilities past security as well, in addition of course to duty and tax free goods for which Shannon is famous.
This area in departures is where all the shopping will happen; it’s impossible to ignore the wide range of all types of goods on offer. Shannon Duty Free, the world’s first duty free, has been offering value to travelers since 1947.
Customers will find the latest fragrances, designer accessories, gifts and souvenirs, all below high street prices and there’s a wide range of whiskey, spirits and wines, some of which are almost exclusive to Irish Duty and Tax Free outlets.