It’s official: Rockford lands Ireland flights

By Thomas V. Bona

BusinessRockford.com

Twice-weekly flights between Rockford and Shannon, Ireland, will start June 26, according to Kenny Tours.

The Maryland-based company signed a deal Thursday with North American Airlines to fly the route through Aug. 31, said Bob Nay, Kenny Tours’ director of sales and marketing.

The flights will be Thursdays and Sundays.

Round-trip airfares start at $888, including taxes and airport fees. Six-night motor coach tours, including airfare and hotels, start at $1,489. Six-night bed-and-breakfast stays, including airfare and car rental, start at $1,489.

The seasonal model is similar to Chicago Rockford International Airport’s other international route, Apple Vacations’ weekly flights to Cancun, Mexico, in the winter.
But the Ireland flights will be on Boeing 757s with almost 200 seats, which would be the largest plane used on a regularly scheduled passenger route from Rockford.

The planes will have leather seats, and, because Kenny Tours removed some of the seats, there will be more legroom than typical planes that fly from Chicago to Ireland, Nay said. Most seats will have 33 inches between them, while some premium seats will have 35 inches. The planes American Airlines and Aer Lingus fly from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Ireland have 32 and 31 inches between seats in the economy section, respectively.

“We want the public, when they go over there, to be comfortable,” Nay said. “They’re not dreading a cramped flight coming back.”

Bob O’Brien, executive director of Chicago Rockford International Airport, said he couldn’t confirm the route but expected a public announcement soon.

“It’s absolutely huge,” he said. “It will create a second international destination out of RFD, one that’s completely different from our current offering. When we prove, not if, this route successful, this community will see in short order a second European destination. There are specific people watching this.”

The airport is marketing itself as a “hassle-free” alternative to O’Hare, touting its free parking and short lines.

The airport recently expanded its international arrivals gate so passengers don’t have to walk outside between the plane and the gate.

Nay said Kenny Tours isn’t just banking on people looking to fly to Ireland, but also Irish travelers looking for a cheap and easy gateway to Chicago, Milwaukee and the Midwest. He said the company already has gotten a lot of interest from Ireland.

North American Airlines is owned by Global Aero Logistics Inc., the parent company of ATA Airlines and World Airways. North American is based at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and offers regularly scheduled and charter airline service.

It owns five Boeing 757s and five Boeing 767s, according to its Web site.

Kenny Tours will lease two of the 757s for its summer service to Ireland. It’ll also be offering flights to Ireland from Belleville; Niagara Falls, N.Y.; Lansing, Mich.; Columbus, Ohio; and Harrisburg, Pa.

Shannon Airport is the second-largest airport in Ireland and offers nonstop flights to 35 European cities, as well as Chicago, Boston, New York and Toronto, according to its Web site. It’s a base for low-fare giant Ryanair.

Staff writer Thomas V. Bona may be contacted at 815-987-1343 or tbona@rrstar.com.

Tickets on sale Tuesday

Reservations for Kenny Tours’ twice-weekly flights between Rockford and Ireland will be accepted starting Tuesday at 800-648-1492. Flights will be on Thursdays and Sundays from June 26 through Aug. 31. More information about Kenny Tours is available at Kenny-Tours.com.

How fares compare

Kenny Tours’ flights between Rockford and Shannon, Ireland, will start at $888 round trip.

American Airlines’ nonstop summer flights between Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Dublin, Ireland, start at $888 round trip.

Aer Lingus’ nonstop summer flights between Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Shannon or Dublin start at $935 round trip.

All fares include taxes and airport fees.