Donegal Airport

Donegal Airport (Irish: Aerfort Dhún na nGall) (IATA: CFN, ICAO: EIDL) is located 2 NM (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) south-west of Bunbeg, being located at Carrickfinn, a townland in The Rosses, a district in north-west County Donegal, Ireland. The small airport is located right on the county's north-west coast. It is about a 15-minute drive from Dungloe and Gweedore and 45 minutes (in 'good weather') from Letterkenny. It is popularly known within County Donegal as Carrickfinn Airport.

History

Until the mid-1980s, the runway was a grass strip. This was replaced by a hard surface runway with temporary buildings. The airport started operations in 1986 and was developed with funds and assistance from the Government of Ireland, private investors, Donegal County Council, the International Fund for Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund. In the 1990s the runway was extended to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) and a new terminal building with modern navigational aids and equipment was added.

Stobart Air, operating as Aer Lingus Regional, is the only scheduled airline currently using the airport. They receive public service obligation funding from the Irish Government to subsidise the route to Dublin, a contract that was awarded in 2014, and commenced on 1 March 2015. An ATR42-300 (reg nos. EI-CBK or EI-EHH) is the normal operational aircraft. The service was previously operated (2012 to 2015) by Loganair using a Saab 340 which rotated via Glasgow to provide aircraft and crew replenishment. Prior to Loganair, the service was operated by Aer Arann which has since been taken over by Stobart Air so the current operation effectively reverts to that. On 21 February 2007, the Irish Government announced that it would be giving €3.8 million to the airport in capital grant money.