Valuable transatlantic traffic should not just be confined to Shannon airport in future, local authority and aviation interests said yesterday.

Kerry airport, announcing its 2003 results, said it had held talks with charter operators about running services to Farranfore in the summer of 2005 from the east coast of America.

Mr Basil Sheerin, the airport's financial controller, said the talks were originally about flights in 2004 but "time was against both sides".

However, he said services from Providence, Rhode Island in 2005 were possible.

He said flights involving a Boeing 757 were mentioned in discussions.

The name of the charter operator was not disclosed.

Kerry airport saw a large increase in passenger traffic last year, mainly due to the Ryanair decision to transfer the Frankfurt Hahn service from Shannon to Kerry.

Passenger numbers grew to almost 300,000 last year, a 70 per cent increase.

The airport is urgently in need of "improved passenger transfer facilities". The luggage and departures area are far too small for the kind of traffic the Kerry facility enjoys, said spokesman Mr Peter Bellew.

The Department of Transport had turned down a request for funding for the terminal buildings early last year. However, the airport was still confident of funding.

"Anything we have done to date is within budget and on time and the State would therefore be well-disposed to us," he said.

Meanwhile, the South West Regional Authority (SWRA), which oversees the Cork and Kerry region, yesterday called for the commencement of scheduled daily transatlantic services from Cork airport.