1 October 1997
Deceased exiles deserve more respect, says PP
By Tom Shiel
FOLLOWING the loss of funeral business from Britain, authorities at Knock Airport have announced that they are deferring plans for a major mortuary at the base which had been handling up to 300 funerals a year until last month.
Knock Board Chairman, Mr. Cathal Duffy refused yesterday (Tuesday) to make any detailed comment on the Ryanair decision to halt cargo services from the UK but did state: "We have no plans for a mortuary now unless there is another carrier prepared to provide a cargo service from Britain".
Mr. Duffy said Ryanair had made a commercial decision on its cargo service on which he would prefer not to comment. NEGATIVE
There has been negative reaction, however, to the Ryanair move with one east Mayo P.P., Swinford based Monsignor Sean Leonard stating it was unfortunate to hear the remains of Irish exiles who died in Britain being referred to as "cargo".
Monsignor Leonard added: "I feel they are worthy of a little more respect than that. The airline concerned could have gone ahead with the ban on cargo but continued to bring remains from Britain.
"Ryanair was glad to get a fare from these people when they were alive and it is strange they would refuse the last fare to be paid on their behalf at the end of life."
The Monsignor suggested it would not take any more than five or ten minutes to take a coffin from the plane and that should not affect the turnabout time in any serious way.
The loss of the funeral business was a financial blow to the airport as it boosted passenger numbers, Monsignor Leonard continued.
He said it meant that in future bodies of deceased exiles will have to be taken in an extra cost and inconvenience through Dublin or buried in a grave in Britain far from their west of Ireland relatives.
