Galway councils reject all six proposals for airport redevelopment

Galway County Council and Galway City Council turned down six expressions of interest for the 118.2‑acre Galway Airport, which they bought in 2013 for €1.1 million.

Offers included a Swiss‑backed bid of more than €11 million that envisioned emergency services, organ transport and short‑take‑off air taxis to Belfast, Dublin and Cork, while Atlantic Flight Training Academy proposed to rent the site for €100,000 a year to create an international pilot training hub that would generate about €2 million in annual revenue from 1,000 business aircraft movements and related services.

A senior international aviation expert noted that keeping the airport operational could potentially save hundreds of lives each year by providing shorter refuelling routes for rescue helicopters that make 200 landings at University College Hospital annually.