Galway Advertiser 2004/2004_01_29/GA_2901_E1_010.pdf 

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10 N E W S

Galway Advertiser

January 29 2004

Galway Airport sees record number of travellers and forecasts continued growth
BY JULIE TIERNEY Passenger traffic at Galway Airport soared to a new record in 2003 with scheduled passenger numbers increasing by 27 per cent and overall traffic growing by 30.3 per cent. Actual scheduled passenger numbers grew by 32,920 over 2002 while 4,209 charter passengers travelled through the airport. The increase, which follows growth of 22 per cent last year, is far in excess of international aviation trends, with Dublin Airport recording five per cent growth, Cork 17 per cent, and Shannon two per cent. Growth at Knock was 25 per cent for the same period. 2003 was the first full year of operation on the London route since Ryanair withdrew from the airport in 1992. The service, which was established in September 2002 operated at a 73.8 per cent load factor carrying just short of 25,000 passengers. In June of 2003 Aer Arann launched a daily service to Manchester. Again this has proven to be a very successful route with a load factor of 71.3 per cent carrying more than 13,000 passengers. More than 80 per cent of the traffic on the two routes is leisure based. Some 100,000 passengers travelled between Dublin and Galway, which is slightly down on the previous year. This was not unexpected, especially with the addition of new routes. It is however expected to grow again in 2004. Business traffic accounted for more than 65 per cent of passengers on this route. In December a new route to Edinburgh was announced. Forward bookings are very encouraging according to a spokesperson for the airport. Looking ahead, passenger traffic at the airport is forecast to grow by 32 per cent in 2004. Galway Airport is committed to providing additional frequency on the London and Manchester routes and is actively pursuing airlines to operate to Glasgow, L i v e r p o o l , Leeds/Bradford, Paris, and Brussels. In June of last year Galway Airport was awarded the Q-Mark by Excellence Ireland, and in September it was announced that the airport was the best new company adjudicated by the Quality System. A state-of-the art fire station and two new tenders became operational at the airfield in 2003, making it the most modern aviation fire facility in the country. Diversions due to weather at Galway during the year were less than one per cent. It is however planned to install an instrument landing system during the coming year. This should be operational before the summer and will dramatically reduce diversions as a result of low cloud and inclement weather.

Galway Muslims hold major feast day in February
BY KHALID SALLABI Galway's Muslim community will celebrate Eid Al-Adha (the great feast), the main feast in the Islamic calendar, in the Westside Community Centre on Sunday February 1 at 9pm, followed by a party for the children. Al-Adha is derived from the word sacrifice and comes from the time of Prophet Abraham, who had to sacrifice his son. When Abraham was about to do this God sent him a lamb to be sacrificed in place of his son. Muslims commemorate this event every year by enactment of certain events. Muslims perceive all the prophets as brothers and their message being one - worshipping the One Lord, Allah. The Prophet Muhammad encouraged his community with Abraham's parable. He said: "Offer a sacrificial lamb as it is the practice of Abraham." Muslims interpret deep meanings in this feast. They feel they draw closer to Allah by abiding by His commands and following the example of His prophets like Abraham and Muhammad (peace be upon them). On this day they forgive and tolerate one another and give and accept presents. The sacrificial lamb is divided into three parts, with a part for the family, a part for relatives, friends and neighbours, and a part for the poor. On this occasion we would like to express our best wishes to all the people in Galway and throughout the world. May Allah accept our deeds and grant us His forgiveness.

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