The first scheduled passenger service at Shannon Airport began 60 years ago this week. Although aviation historians have tended to focus on the inaugural transatlantic service which began at the airport in October 1945, British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) started a three to four days a week feeder from England on February 21st, 1942, to connect with the westbound flying boats which left from Foynes, on the other side of the Shannon estuary.
Four-engined DH 91 Albatross aircraft were used initially for this service, which operated from Whitechurch, near Bristol, and 14 passengers were taken by coach the 40 miles to the west Limerick flying boat base.
The elegant, wooden de Havilland aircraft developed structural faults over the years. In 1943, while making an approach to Rineanna, as the airport was then known, the left flap support structure started to break up. The pilot, however, made a skilful landing outside the airfield.
After that incident, BOAC introduced Dakotas to the route. In August 1942, Aer Lingus introduced the first Shannon-Dublin service with a 10-seater de Havilland aircraft which ran three times weekly.
Arthur Quinlan