Air France may end cargo flight to Shannon

Air France looks set to end its weekly cargo flight to Shannon Airport and switch the service to Dublin. The airline accounts for 9 per cent of Shannon's cargo traffic.

In a statement released to The Irish Times yesterday, the Paris-based airline said: "Air France can confirm that it is carrying out an in-depth study to transfer its cargo freighter, using a B747 freighter aircraft, from Shannon to Dublin in order to optimise its cargo business in Ireland. Air France currently operates from Chicago-Shannon-Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) on a weekly basis each Saturday and is the only scheduled airline to land a freighter aircraft in Ireland."

Patricia McCarthy, the mayor of Clare, said that the move could impact on employment in Shannon. "I fear that some jobs could be put at risk should Air France proceed with its relocation plan."

This month Aer Lingus's axed its Shannon-Heathrow route and switched the London flights to Belfast.

Ironically, Air France subsidiary CityJet, which is based in Dublin, will begin daily passenger services from Shannon to Paris CDG on Monday.

It is understood that the first 50-seater CityJet flight, which will depart at 9.35am on Monday, is booked out.

Shannon and Dublin airports declined to comment.