Pre-tax profits at the firm behind Knock Ireland West Airport last year almost tripled to €1.67m after the airport enjoyed its busiest year on record.

Passenger numbers reached 750,000 for the first time in the airport’s history and this contributed to revenues at Connaught Airport Development Company Ltd increasing by 4pc from €12.63m to €13.12m.

The directors state “despite the ongoing concerns over Brexit, within the aviation industry in particular, the growth in passenger numbers in 2017 was fuelled by a very strong performance across the range of UK services available at the airport with an extra 18,000 travelling to and from the UK in 2017”.

Passenger numbers at the airport, headed by MD Joe Gilmore, last year increased by 2pc – or 16,000 – to 750,000. It now serves 23 international destinations and is served by three major European airlines, Aer Lingus, Flybe and Ryanair.

The directors state that the group recorded a pre-tax loss of €192,791 prior to the receipt of operational funding from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Numbers employed increased from 130 to 135. In 2018, the airport expects to handle 775,000 passengers – a 3pc increase on the 2017 figure. 

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