DUBLIN Airport has issued a major Christmas warning to passengers ahead of the festive season.
The airport is on track to surpass 32 million passengers in December 2024 – with parking spots set to fill up fast.
So far this year, Dublin Airport has already handled 28.7million passengers, with a 5 per cent increase compared to 2023.
Despite this growth, a passenger cap has become a major issue – with Dublin Airport needing to limit its capacity to comply with regulations.
In October, the airport welcomed a record 2.9 million passengers, making it the busiest October in the airport’s 84-year history.
October’s peak day saw 114,000 passengers, although a significant number of these were rebooked after Storm Ashley caused disruptions.
The five most popular destinations from Dublin Airport in October were London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Manchester, Malaga and London Gatwick.
Passenger numbers are expected to exceed 32 million by December, with forecasts predicting a final count closer to 33 million for the year.
To address the cap, Dublin Airport is seeking a High Court review of the Irish Aviation Authority’s slot allocation for the winter 2024/25 season, with the hearing set for December 3.
The airport is now working on plans to increase capacity, including a proposal to raise the cap to 40 million passengers and an operational plan to reach 36 million without new infrastructure.
While Dublin Airport grapples with capacity issues, Cork Airport also had a successful October – with 260,000 passengers, a 2 per cent increase from last year.
The airport saw exciting developments including new services from SunExpress to Izmir and Aer Lingus Regional’s expanded routes to Glasgow and Bristol.
Cork Airport also supported the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, welcoming thousands of jazz enthusiasts to the city over the summer.
Ryanair will be continuing their service to Brussels Charleroi throughout the winter and have added a winter service to Fuerteventura.
The airport received a funding boost of €2.284million for sustainable development, which will fund a new solar farm to provide up to 25 per cent of the airport’s energy needs.
Despite Dublin’s struggles with the passenger cap, demand for travel in Ireland remains high – with airports in the UK also experiencing growth.
DAA CEO Kenny Jacobs revealed that while Irish airports are doing their best to meet demand, the passenger cap could harm Ireland’s competitiveness and economic growth.
He said: “Demand to get on and off our island shows no sign of dropping, with Cork and Dublin airports welcoming unprecedented numbers of passengers every month this year.”
“Across the water, UK airports ranging from Heathrow to Gatwick to Manchester are also shattering previous passenger records and planning to grow further.
“Meanwhile Ireland, a nation so celebrated for aviation and promising a hundred thousand welcomes, is reducing growth at its key gateway to the world.
“We need to protect Irish jobs, connectivity and economic prosperity, but every day we hear new concerns from impacted people, ranging from tourism businesses worried about falling footfall or sports fans and organisations worried about getting to Ireland for events that put us on the map.”
