14 Facts About Shannon Airport

1.

Shannon Airport is an international airport located in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland.

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2.

Shannon Airport has a history of pioneering in global aviation with the first transatlantic proving flight in 1945, the world's first duty-free airport opening in 1947, and Europe's first United States border preclearance facility opening in 1986.

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3.

In July 1939, a SABENA Savoia-Marchetti S 73 from Brussels via Croydon Airport was the first commercial flight to use the Rineanna airfield.

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4.

Aeroflot kept its own fuel storage at Shannon and allowed the airport to sell the Soviet fuel to other airlines.

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5.

Cooperation between Aeroflot and Aer Rianta at Shannon led to a joint venture between the two companies to open duty-free shops at Sheremetyevo Airport in 1987.

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6.

On 30 September 1994, Shannon Airport was the site of the "circling over Shannon Airport" diplomatic incident involving Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

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7.

Shannon Airport introduced United States border preinspection in 1986, allowing departing passengers to the US to complete US immigration procedures at Shannon Airport.

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8.

Shannon Airport began to rebound in the late 1990s with the success of the Irish economy, the improving situation in Northern Ireland and an influx of American tourists.

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9.

Shannon Airport announced a target in 2012 to grow its passenger numbers to 2.

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10.

However, Shannon Airport has fallen short of its stated targeted figure with just 1.

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11.

Shannon Airport saw military transports throughout the Cold War and during the first Gulf War.

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12.

On 6 December 2005, the BBC programme Newsnight alleged that Shannon Airport was used on at least 33 occasions by United States Central Intelligence Agency flights, thought to be part of a US policy called extraordinary rendition.

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13.

In 1986, a United States border preclearance facility was opened at Shannon Airport, eliminating the need to go through immigration on arrival in the United States.

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14.

In 2021, Shannon Airport deployed CT scanners at passenger security checkpoints, enabling it to lift the restrictions on liquids which had been in place since 2006.

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