Donegal Airport

Donegal Airport
Aerfort Dhún na nGall
IATA: CFN – ICAO: EIDL
Summary
Airport type Public
Operator Airports Donegal
Serves County Donegal
Location Carrickfinn
Elevation AMSL 30 ft / 9 m
Coordinates 55°02′39″N 008°20′28″W / 55.04417°N 8.34111°W / 55.04417; -8.34111 (Donegal Airport)Coordinates: 55°02′39″N 008°20′28″W / 55.04417°N 8.34111°W / 55.04417; -8.34111 (Donegal Airport)
Website www.donegalairport.ie
Map
CFN

Location of airport in Ireland

Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
03/21 1,496 4,908 Bitumen/Macadam
Statistics (2015)
Passengers 36,552
Passenger change 14-15 Increase3.2%
Source: Irish AIS[1] Passengers[2]

Donegal Airport (Irish: Aerfort Dhún na nGall) (IATA: CFN, ICAO: EIDL) is located 2 NM (3.7 km; 2.3 mi)[1] south-west of Bunbeg, being located at Carrickfinn, a townland in The Rosses, a district in north-west County Donegal, Ireland. The small airport is located right on the county's north-west coast. It is about a 15-minute drive from Dungloe and Gweedore and 45 minutes from Letterkenny. It is popularly known within County Donegal as Carrickfinn Airport.

History

Until the mid-1980s, the runway was a grass strip. This was replaced by a hard surface runway with temporary buildings. The airport started operations in 1986 and was developed with funds and assistance from the Government of Ireland, private investors, Donegal County Council, the International Fund for Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund. In the 1990s the runway was extended to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) and a new terminal building with modern navigational aids and equipment was added.

Stobart Air, operating as Aer Lingus Regional, is the only scheduled airline currently using the airport. They receive public service obligation funding from the Irish Government to subsidise the route to Dublin, a contract that was awarded in 2014, and commenced on 1 March 2015. An ATR42-300 (reg nos. EI-CBK or EI-EHH) is the normal operational aircraft. The service was previously operated (2012 to 2015) by Loganair using a Saab 340 which rotated via Glasgow to provide aircraft and crew replenishment. Prior to Loganair, the service was operated by Aer Arann which has since been taken over by Stobart Air so the current operation effectively reverts to that.[3] On 21 February 2007, the Irish Government announced that it would be giving €3.8 million to the airport in capital grant money.

CityJet operated a Saturday seasonal charter flight to Rotterdam between April and September using a Fokker 50 but this has not run in recent years.[4] Aer Arann operated flights to Cork via Dublin in 2009 until they reduced their Cork-Dublin service to six times per week. The route closed in March 2010.[5]

In February 2010, Aer Arann closed its service to Glasgow Prestwick Airport and relocated to Glasgow International Airport.[6]

Due to the large gas field in the area, non-scheduled chartered helicopter flights connect the multiple offshore installations to the airport. Eastern Airways operate a chartered service to Aberdeen for this.

Airlines and destinations

The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights to and from Donegal:[7]

AirlinesDestinations
Aer Lingus Regional
operated by Stobart Air 		Dublin, Glasgow

Statistics

Passenger numbers
Year Passengers Numbers % Change
2008 65,539
2009 50,761 Decrease22.5%
2010 46,825 Decrease7.8%
2011 38,309 Decrease18.1%
2012 29,226 Decrease23.7%
2013 33,768 Increase15.5%
2014 35,415 Increase4.9%
2015 36,552 Increase3.2%
Source: Central Statistics Office[2]

Airport data

References

  1. 1 2 EIDL – DONEGAL (PDF). AIP and charts from the Irish Aviation Authority.
  2. 1 2 "Aviation Statistics 2015". CSO. 30 May 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  3. ↑ "Editorial: Dempsey announces PSO contracts for regional air routes". www.breakingnews.ie. 13 May 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  4. ↑ "Press Release: New 2008 Chartered Air Service from the Netherlands to Donegal Announced". Fáilte Ireland. 13 May 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  5. ↑ "Editorial: Aer Arann wings in new routes across Ireland". Irish Examiner. 25 June 2009. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  6. ↑ AER ARANN ANNOUNCE NEW ROUTE TO GLASGOW
  7. ↑ donegalairport.com - Timetables retrieved 6 August 2016

Media related to Donegal Airport at Wikimedia Commons

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