Aer Arann Islands
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| Founded | 1970 (Galway); 53 years ago | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating bases | Connemara Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 3 | ||||||
| Destinations | 4 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Connemara Airport, Inverin, County Galway | ||||||
| Website | aerarannislands.ie | ||||||
Aer Arann Islands (stylised as aer arann islands) is an Irish airline headquartered in Inverin, County Galway.[1] They operate a three-strong fleet of Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander aircraft to connect the Aran Islands with mainland County Galway.
History[edit]
Aer Arann Islands was established in 1970 by James Coen, Ralph Langan, and Colie Hernon[2] to provide an island-hopping air service between Galway and the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland. Operations, using a single Britten-Norman Islander, began in August 1970.
After the airline failed to win a tender for a four-year contract, the island flight service was threatened with closure on September 30, 2015. This was to be replaced by a helicopter service from Galway Airport. Protests about the airport change and job losses led to this decision being reversed, so Aer Arann Islands continued to fly to the islands.[3]
This service is now based at Connemara Airport and operates between ten and thirty flights to the three Aran islands with an average flight time of eight minutes. As of 2021[update], Aer Arann Islands prefers the Britten-Norman islander aircraft to provide this service.
As of January 2020[update] the airline is under new ownership with plans to develop and maintain the levels of service to both island communities and visitors. In 2022, the airline signed a four-year contract to provide year-round public service obligation (PSO) from Connemara Airport to all three Aran islands.[4]
Current fleet[edit]
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As of March 2022, Aer Arann Islands operate a fleet of 3 Britten Norman BN-2 aircraft.
| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Britten-Norman Islander BN2A | 2 | – | 9 | |
| Britten-Norman Islander BN2B | 1 | – | 9 | |
| Total | 3 | 0 |
Destinations[edit]
Aer Arann Islands destinations
- Aran Islands
- Ireland (mainland)
- Inverin – Connemara Airport Base
See also[edit]
- Aer Arann
- List of airlines
- Transport in Ireland
- Connemara Airport
- Inishmore Aerodrome
- Inisheer Aerodrome
- Inishmaan Aerodrome
References[edit]
- ^ "Contact." Aer Arann Islands. Retrieved 15 May 2016. "Address: Aer Arann Islands, An Caislean, Inverin, Co. Galway, Ireland."
- ^ "Ethos of a heroic airline". Irish Independent. 17 April 2016.
- ^ "Aran Islands Reprieve". Airliner World: 7. November 2015.
- ^ Moreau, Emer (5 June 2022). "€4.9 million contract announced for flights to the Aran Islands". thejournal.ie. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
External links[edit]
