Knock Airport

Henrib · 04-10-2011 4:45pm #1

Is there still a €10 charge to either land or take off from Knock airport? There used to be a charge but its a few years since I heard it mentioned? I've looked on their website but can't see it.

Just found this on their website;

A Development Fee of €10 is charged to all departing passengers aged 12 years and over. This is a service charge which the Airport charges for the use of its facilities and as a contribution towards infrastructure developments; including passenger and airline services, ongoing maintenance and operation of Ireland West Airport Knock.

The services include; terminal facilities, safety and security, airline services such as air traffic control, navigational aids, runway systems, aircraft parking, and fire services.

Ruby_Woo · 04-10-2011 6:58pm

Yes, the charge is still in operation unfortunately.

dingding · 04-10-2011 11:36pm

You are charged for departing. There is no charge for arriving.

thebuzz · 29-11-2012 12:58am

This fee, I've heard a couple of people say they don't pay it and just walk by and no one says anything to them. Surely that doesn't work? First time I heard it I thought it's bull but then someone else (more reliable source) told me they saw some fella walking by without paying and so they just followed him and got away with it.

AngryLips · 29-11-2012 2:05pm

It is unfortunate that the airport has to resort to this.

coylemj · 29-11-2012 5:08pm

Henrib wrote: »

A Development Fee of €10 is charged to all departing passengers aged 12 years and over. This is a service charge which the Airport charges for the use of its facilities and as a contribution towards infrastructure developments; including passenger and airline services, ongoing maintenance and operation of Ireland West Airport Knock.

The services include; terminal facilities, safety and security, airline services such as air traffic control, navigational aids, runway systems, aircraft parking, and fire services.

Doesn't the airline pay the airport a charge for each passenger for these services? Is Knock airport claiming that the airlines are not paying a per passenger levy already and if the airlines are paying such a levy, why is the passenger being asked to pay on the double?

lotusm · 29-11-2012 5:26pm

coylemj wrote: »

Doesn't the airline pay the airport a charge for each passenger for these services? Is Knock airport claiming that the airlines are not paying a per passenger levy already and if the airlines are paying such a levy, why is the passenger being asked to pay on the double?

knock is barely making a profit hence the charge. compared to shannon which is losing 8 million a year and the Taxpayer is paying for and also got a €100 million written off its debts ..I Dont think €10 is a big ask to have a facility in the west. Who wants to be driving up to Dublin for 3 hours each way, Fuel €80, Tolls, meals/ etc etc.:D

Chancer3001 · 16-01-2017 11:23am

5 year bump to avoid a new thread!

Still charging? Any way off it?

Locker10a · 16-01-2017 2:17pm

Chancer3001 wrote: »

5 year bump to avoid a new thread!

Still charging? Any way off it?

Yes still charging ! This departure fee will exist as long as Ryanair are their biggest service user (and demand/refuse to pay fees) and as long as the airport is not under that umbrella of state run airports.

JCX BXC · 16-01-2017 2:44pm

Well they don't have to charge Ryanair low fees, they choose to.

Locker10a · 16-01-2017 2:50pm

JCX BXC wrote: »

Well they don't have to charge Ryanair low fees, they choose to.

Yes I suppose, aren't they greedy, I mean they should just operate the airport for free....

Lima Golf · 16-01-2017 5:19pm

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JCX BXC · 16-01-2017 5:37pm

Locker10a wrote: »

Yes I suppose, aren't they greedy, I mean they should just operate the airport for free....

Raise the fees and I'm sure Aer Lingus and Flybe will be gone too!

Jayop · 16-01-2017 5:41pm

JCX BXC wrote: »

Well they don't have to charge Ryanair low fees, they choose to.

And you don't have to use the airport, you choose to.

Without that charge the airport wouldn't survive or would require more government funding. It's a tenner, pay it or else drive to Dublin and pay more for the same route.

JCX BXC · 16-01-2017 5:51pm

Jayop wrote: »

And you don't have to use the airport, you choose to.

Without that charge the airport wouldn't survive or would require more government funding. It's a tenner, pay it or else drive to Dublin and pay more for the same route.

I don't use Knock airport, but I'm not telling people not to. It is unfair however to blaim Ryanair.

But, on another point, I don't understand how Knock, which maintains short of a million passengers, closes in the evening, opens late in the morning, simple taxi layout, only one person required in tower, needs a fee of so much, while Kerry which has much less passengers doesn't, Derry doesn't, Donegal doesn't, Waterford didn't.

Can those airports absorb loses or something?

Jayop · 16-01-2017 6:07pm

I don't blame Ryanair. I don't blame anyone tbh.

I know that in general flights from Knock to the UK are at least a tenner cheaper than the equivalent flights from Dublin. I also know that when I fly out from Knock I have to pay the charge, but by in large you still save quite a lot. That's before anyone from the West has to pay petrol to drive to Dublin, much more expensive parking, tolls on the roads etc. Or even worse, someone down here tries to get public transport to Dublin airport. If you're lucky enough to be on a bus route and the odd time per day the bus goes by suite then happy days, but otherwise it's impossible.

I'm looking at going to Liverpool at the end of this month for a match. Return flights from Knock are €35 and return from Dublin are €80. That's the reality so people having a moan about this charge is a bit grating.

JCX BXC · 16-01-2017 6:20pm

I generally find UK flights are very competitively priced from Dublin, much more so than regional airports, you can't cherry pick examples.

Of course for someone living in Mayo, going to Dublin would be, in some cases, stupid. If the flights available from Knock, why wouldn't you use it.

Where the €10 does matter is to people in say Galway, where they are an equal distance to Shannon and can access good public transportation to both Shannon and Dublin.

Jayop · 16-01-2017 6:56pm

JCX BXC wrote: »

I generally find UK flights are very competitively priced from Dublin, much more so than regional airports, you can't cherry pick examples.

Of course for someone living in Mayo, going to Dublin would be, in some cases, stupid. If the flights available from Knock, why wouldn't you use it.

Where the €10 does matter is to people in say Galway, where they are an equal distance to Shannon and can access good public transportation to both Shannon and Dublin.

I'm not cherry picking, it's literally the flights that I looked up this morning to go to a game.

I know people that drive from Derry where they have an ariport and very easy access to both Belfast airports down to KNock because the flights are so much cheaper when going to somewhere like Lanzarote.

I've checked Knock Vs Dublin dozens of times and almost always Knock wins out on price for the flights I'm taking.

Locker10a · 16-01-2017 9:50pm

JCX BXC wrote: »

I generally find UK flights are very competitively priced from Dublin, much more so than regional airports, you can't cherry pick examples.

Of course for someone living in Mayo, going to Dublin would be, in some cases, stupid. If the flights available from Knock, why wouldn't you use it.

Where the €10 does matter is to people in say Galway, where they are an equal distance to Shannon and can access good public transportation to both Shannon and Dublin.

They reason I mentioned Ryanair was many years ago Ryanair fell into dispute with the airport over fees .
The situation today is, Knock can't turn around and ask the airlines to pay the €10, they will refuse and/or reduce/pull flights.
However the airport needs a source of income through passenger fees. Airlines not wanting to add it into their fares leaves little options open.
I don't doubt running an airport is an extremely expensive business on a day to day basis, at NOC they have also spent their "fee" on development of facilities recently, a terminal extension and over the past few years upgrade of equipment.
I believe they have plans to expand the apron too.
These investments are with expansion and improvement in mind, and thus far have worked quite well. Knock can be a very busy little place in the summer, and over the past decade has greatly expanded its route network. They have successfully participated in attracting US charter flights last year and this year. There passenger figures speak for themselves in this regard to. This is not something that is selected in recent years in Waterford Donegal or Kerry airports.
The fee is not going into someone's pocket, it goes to the development of the airport, including new routes, as well as facilities for improvement and expansion. All of these things are surly a benefit for the residents of the local counties ?
I feel over the past number of years the airport in knock Hav done an excellent job in expanding routes and facilities and I believe they will continue this great work.
They have to be one of the most ambitious and innovative airports in the country.
The type of people who'd rather go all the way to Dublin to catch a flight to the same destination as can be flown from knock to avoid a fee are they type of people who know the price of everything and the cost of nothing.

Fred Swanson · 16-01-2017 11:28pm

This post has been deleted.

Jayop · 17-01-2017 12:26am

Fred Swanson wrote: »

Why are pilgrimages exempt from this charge? I see that as rather unfair.

Are they? First I heard and yeah I'd agree that is unfair if so.

Jayop · 17-01-2017 12:28am

Yep. Wonder if there's still a religious element on the management or board?

Ireland West Airport Knock recognises its role as a key player in providing air access for pilgrimages to the shrine at Knock and other shrines abroad. As such, the airport takes the position that for pilgrim flights only (Knock, Lourdes, Fatima, Medugorje), invalids and the carer (1) accompanying them will be exempt from the €10 Development Fee service charge, subject to two weeks advance notice of the names of such passengers being furnished in writing by the organiser/tour operator to Ireland West Airport Knock Operations department.

raiders11 · 17-01-2017 2:21pm

Jayop wrote: »

I'm not cherry picking, it's literally the flights that I looked up this morning to go to a game.

I know people that drive from Derry where they have an ariport and very easy access to both Belfast airports down to KNock because the flights are so much cheaper when going to somewhere like Lanzarote.

I've checked Knock Vs Dublin dozens of times and almost always Knock wins out on price for the flights I'm taking.

Am mid Donegal and would also find Knock the cheapest for flying out of 90% of the time inc the 10 euro extra... even yesterday, I was looking for a flight from Faro to Ireland/N.ireland on a certain date in april, Knock was by far the cheapest between Dub, 2xBelfast n Knock..

ongarboy · 09-01-2020 4:05pm

https://www.hospitalityireland.com/general-industry/record-807k-people-passed-86199

Good to see Knock pass the 800k pax Mark in 2019. Hopefully it will pass the 1 million mark in the coming decade!

10-01-2020 3:37pm

Was this mentioned before?
More flights to Liverpool.
https://twitter.com/Irelandwest/status/1215609448129056768

iluvfatfrogs · 15-01-2020 2:14pm

The "employees" of XXX in the City must nearly be talking with West or Ireland accents at this stage.... given 95% of their "customers" originate from

Knock Airport

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