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State-owned Shannon Group lost €28 million last year as Covid restrictions cut airport passenger numbers.
The group, responsible for Shannon Airport along with property management and other businesses, said passenger numbers fell 79 per cent to 352,000 last year.
Mary Considine, chief executive, said the group lost €28.2 million in 2020 against a profit of €21.6 million the previous year.
She pointed out that Shannon found itself facing an “unprecedented” crisis last year instead of the expected growth in passengers and visitors to its heritage sites.
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Visitors to the heritage sites, which include Bunratty and Malahide castles, fell 69 per cent to 302,000.
Ms Considine warned that a clear framework was needed to restart air travel to the Republic.
She argued that restoring international air links would be pivotal to economic recovery as the State emerged from the Covid crisis.
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