Leinster Rugby may have to fly to away games from Belfast

Leinster Rugby will have to fly to some away games from Belfast due to the passenger cap at Dublin Airport, Ryanair has said.

The Dublin-based team plans to fly from Belfast International Airport for four games later in the season unless the situation is resolved.

Ryanair called on Irish Transport Minister Eamonn Ryan to intervene and allow more flights over the winter months.

The Department of Transport said it wanted to find a solution and that it was in favour of expanding capacity at Dublin Airport.

Leinster Rugby could not be reached for comment, but BBC News NI understands efforts are ongoing to resolve this issue.

Belfast is the largest city in the province of Ulster – one of Leinster’s traditional rivals – and is the location of Ulster Rugby’s home stadium.

The cap was put in place in 2007 as part of the planning permission granted for the second terminal at the airport and restricts passenger numbers to 32 million a year.

The number of passengers over the coming winter season is limited to 14.4 million.

If it is breached, it is unclear what if any consequences the airport could face as a result from Fingal County Council, which imposed the cap.

It is understood Leinster will fly from Belfast for two Champions Cup games and two United Rugby Championship games later in the 2024-25 season.

That includes trips to Bristol, Cardiff and La Rochelle.

A Department of Transport spokesperson said James Lawless, a junior minister at the department, had met Leinster Rugby in recent days.

They said he was “keen to assist, if possible”.

“He is seeking advice as to what avenues may exist to facilitate national teams and similar special events while the legacy planning cap on passenger numbers at the airport remains in place,” the spokesperson said.

The minister, the spokesperson added, was in favour of increasing capacity at Dublin Airport.

An application to increase the passenger cap to 40m per year has been submitted to Fingal County Council by the Dublin Airport Authority, the spokesperson said.

“As has been made clear on a number of occasions, all planning matters, including planning applications, are matters for the relevant statutory independent bodies and would not be appropriate for Government to intervene in such matters.”

Ryanair said a winter block on extra flight slots at Dublin Airport could be lifted if the transport minister directed the Irish Aviation Authority to do so.

Chief executive Michael O’Leary said as well as the Leinster team’s flight changes, regular flights over winter were at risk.

“It is unacceptable that Ireland’s transport minister won’t exercise his legal power to approve these extra flights,” he said.

“If he won’t act (as he has failed to for four years now), we then call on Green tourism minister Catherine Martin to take action.”

Earlier in 2024 the airline said it had not been allocated enough seats to meet its winter time demand due to the passenger cap.

It warned fares to and from Dublin Airport were “going to go through the roof” over the coming winter season.

Mr O’Leary said Irish aviation and tourism had become the “laughing stock of Europe”.

BBC News NI has approached Dublin Airport for comment.