Shannon Airport has been used for a number of reasons. Geographically, it is positioned exceptionally well: it is about halfway between the United States and many of its bases. For those of us who live in the region, one unfortunate aspect of the airport is that it does not have the same number of flights as Dublin and Cork. The uncluttered environment, however, makes it suitable for these aircraft. There has been a significant benefit to the local economy in terms of the jobs and income it has generated. I spoke to people who work in the duty free shop who, under normal circumstances, see significant sales to US soldiers returning home, although they have not seen many return flights at this stage.