Shannon Airport Reignites Pan Am Glory with “Tracing the Transatlantic” Farewell Flight
(IN SHORT) Shannon Airport hosted the final flight of “Tracing the Transatlantic,” a 12-day Pan American–themed journey culminating in a Pan Am–branded jet’s departure to New York—its first such flight from Shannon in over three decades. The all-business-class experience for 50 guests featured period-inspired service, authentic uniforms and an Irish coffee farewell. Shannon’s links to Pan Am date to the 1945 DC-4 proving flight and the airport’s first jumbo jet visit in 1970; this October marks 80 years since the inaugural scheduled transatlantic passenger flight. Organized by Bartelings and Criterion Travel under Pan Am license, the nostalgic itinerary included stops in Bermuda, Lisbon, Marseille and London, plus luxury accommodations at Adare Manor and a gala at the Foynes Flying Boat Museum.
(PRESS RELEASE) SHANNON, Ireland, 2025-Jun-27 — /Travel PR News/ — Shannon Airport celebrated a milestone today as a jet adorned in Pan American World Airways livery departed for JFK International Airport—its first Pan Am-branded flight from Shannon in over thirty years. This departure marked the finale of “Tracing the Transatlantic,” a 12-day homage to Pan Am’s storied heritage.
Created to evoke the elegance of mid-20th-century air travel, the journey offered 50 guests an all-business-class itinerary retracing Pan Am’s famed ocean-spanning routes. Prior to departure, travelers savored a traditional Irish coffee send-off at Shannon, underscoring the region’s warm hospitality. Aboard, crew members donned meticulously replicated Pan Am uniforms, heightening the nostalgic atmosphere.
Shannon’s deep ties with Pan Am stretch back to September 1945, when a Pan Am DC-4 completed the first transatlantic proving flight into the airport, setting the stage for the inaugural scheduled passenger crossing a month later. This October will mark the 80th anniversary of that milestone. In August 1970, Shannon again hosted aviation history when it received its first scheduled jumbo jet—a Pan Am Boeing 747 carrying over 300 passengers.
Pamela Brooks, Head of Operations at Shannon Airport, remarked, “Welcoming this commemorative Pan Am aircraft has been a true honor. Pan Am’s legacy is woven into Shannon’s own history, and seeing its iconic livery back here after thirty-plus years reminds us of our airport’s enduring role in transatlantic travel.”
Organized by Bartelings and Criterion Travel under official Pan Am license, “Tracing the Transatlantic” included stops in Bermuda, Lisbon, Marseille and London before landing in Shannon on Wednesday. Guests then enjoyed a two-night stay at Adare Manor, followed by a gala dinner at the Foynes Flying Boat Museum, before embarking on today’s return flight.
Media contact:
communications@snnairportgroup.ie.
SOURCE: The Shannon Airport Group
