World Airlines suspends flights to Shannon
The largest commercial airline carrying US troops through Shannon airport to the Gulf has suspended re-fuelling there amid mounting security concerns.
As Irish troops start security duties at the airport from midday today, World airlines announced that 17 flights in the past week were re-routed through Frankfurt in Germany.
World Airlines has given no indication of a resumption of normal service through Shannon.
Fianna Fáil TD for Clare, Tony Killeen, says the fault lies with the protesters who attacked a US navy plane.
"There is no doubt that it is the principal factor in World's decision and it is very bad news for Shannon. The airport depends a huge amount on these flights and American flights generally and the activities of a very small number of people are directly responsible for this decision."
Fine Gael TD for the county, Pat Breen, says the Government is to blame for it's inadequate security precautions.
"This situation may never have arisen if the Government had put in the necessary security. Only six weeks ago in the Dáil, I put it to Seamus Brennan during the first intrusion in the airport if security would be increased at the airport. He said security would be reviewed. The fact is security wasn't increased at the airport."
