First it was singing, then dancing and now airline routes. Yes, you read that correctly. In the first round of an X Factor style comptition, a German airline is asking the public to determine a new route for 2018.
Eurowings, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, is inviting the public to vote for a new route to commence in 2018 out of the German city of Cologne. In the first round, 10 airports in Europe were went forward in the voting.
They were Trapani in Italy, Mostar in Bosnia Herzgovina, Shannon, Castelleon in Spain, Belfast, Bergan in Norway, Brac in Croatia, Biarritz in France, Podgorica in Montenegro and Trieste in Italy.
Each destination created a video to promote itself.
First-round public voting held earlier this month saw three airports progress to the finals. The three airports with the most votes were Trapani in Sicily with 31.6 per cent, Mostar in Bosnia Herzgovina with 31.2 per cent and Shannon with 9.6 per cent.
They now go into a sudden-death playoff over one hour today. The public can vote for their favourite route between 2pm and 3pm Irish times, with a chance for Shannon to make the cut.
The airport is appealing to the public to vote onthe competition Facebook page. You can set a reminder here.
Speaking on Shannon Airport's position in the final, managing director Andrew Murphy urged people get behind the airport's bid to be the chosen route; "We were truly overwhelmed by the response and are so grateful to the public for taking the time to vote us into the final. We need your support again today to land the new route for Ireland"
There will be 50 prizes of two tickets on the new route for voters.
