State papers: Financial impact on Shannon Airport influenced 'minimalist' response to Russian aggression
A memo prepared for the Government noted Shannon Airport would be heavily loss-making but for Aeroflot’s business due to a decline in traditional transatlantic stopover traffic from the development of longer-range aircraft. File picture
The Irish government opposed a call by US president, Ronald Reagan, to suspend landing rights of the Soviet state airliner, Aeroflot, in response to the shooting down of a Korean civilian aircraft by the USSR in 1983 because of its financial impact on Shannon Airport.
All 269 passengers and crew on board the flight from New York to Seoul were killed when the Boeing 747 aircraft was struck by an air-to-air missile fired by the Soviet military on September 1, 1983. Among 51 American citizens on board the aircraft was US Congressman Laurence MacDonald.
Confidential State papers released under the 30-year rule show the then-Taoiseach, Garret FitzGerald, resisted various sanctions recommended by the US administration.
They showed a majority of the Irish Cabinet favoured measures of “a minimalist type.” Ministers had been warned that a suspension of Aeroflot’s landing rights at Shannon would result in lost revenue of £200,000 per month for the State airport authority, Aer Rianta – most of which was “clear profit.”
They were informed the monthly figure rose to £350,000 when revenue losses for other companies who derived benefit from Aeroflot’s refuelling operations at Shannon were included. It was estimated that Aeroflot’s operations directly sustained 60 jobs at the airport.
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A memo prepared for the Government noted Shannon Airport would be heavily loss-making but for Aeroflot’s business due to a decline in traditional transatlantic stopover traffic from the development of longer-range aircraft.
It warned the impact of any suspension on Aeroflot’s long-term commitment to Shannon was “difficult to assess” but that any cut-off of landing rights would upset the excellent working relationship that had developed between Aer Rianta and Aeroflot.
It noted that such a measure could cause the USSR to rely more heavily on Gander airport in Newfoundland, Canada which it regarded as Shannon’s main rival for Aeroflot’s business. Ministers were warned that a suspension of landing rights, which Aeroflot had been using since 1980, could also have legal implications.
In contrast, they were advised that a prohibition on Aeroflot being allowed to pick up and set down passengers in Shannon was unlikely to be regarded by the USSR as a penal measure because of the low traffic levels.
Nevertheless, Aer Lingus was hoping at the time of concluding an agreement with Aeroflot to provide connections for Americans wishing to fly to the USSR which was estimated could be worth up to $1m per annum.
The USSR initially denied having any role in the incident but confirmed on September 6, 1983, that one of its fighter jets was responsible for firing a missile at the civilian aircraft.
