N

NEARLY 20,000 passengers are set to fly into Kerry on the new Ryanair service from Berlin Schönefeld after it was announced that the route will continue through the summer of 2018.

Over 150 passengers made the inaugural flight to Kerry this week, while 189 passengers, maximum capacity, were booked on the first outward flight to Berlin.

The service, which will operate every Thursday and Sunday, was due to end in March but there has been a broad welcome from the tourism sector in Kerry to the news that the route will continue through next year’s summer season.

The incoming flights will depart Berlin Schönefeld SXF at 3pm and land in Kerry at 4.35pm on Thursdays. On Sundays, the flights will depart Germany at 7.45am and land in Kerry at 9.25am. The outbound flight from Kerry on Thursdays will depart at 5pm, arriving in Berlin at 8.35pm while the Sunday flights will leave Kerry at 9.45am and arrive in Berlin Schönefeld at 1.15pm.

Berlin Schönefeld is only 22km from Berlin City Centre.

Kerry Airport’s financial controller Basil Sheerin, said: “The decision to extend the route through the summer of 2018 underlines the importance of Kerry as a destination and gateway for the German tourist market and will ensure increased visitor numbers to the region. Berlin is home to 3.5 million people and a number of high tech firms in the pharmaceutical, biomedical engineering, electronics and media corporations sectors.”
 

 
Above: Noel Ryan, Kerry Airport, John O'Sullivan, Mairead O'Sullivan and Conor Hennigan, Killarney. Pic: Domnick Walsh