Business is booming for Dublin Airport, which despite seeing an 4% increase in passenger numbers during October 2023, is currently planning to ensure that passenger numbers for 2024 will remain below the 32 million level: inkeeping with a cap currently imposed on airport operators daa.
However, recognising that “permission to grow Dublin Airport further” will be a key element of meeting Ireland’s demand for international travel, Kenny Jacobs, CEO of daa, announced that “daa will submit an application to Fingal County Council shortly to grow beyond the current 32 million cap”.
Until this planning permission is granted, “daa will continue to manage the passenger capacity through the terminals at Dublin Airport to ensure that current planning restrictions are not breached,” he confirmed, adding that an extended capacity would “support the population increase and continue to enable new jobs growth and connectivity for Ireland”.
During an Irish parliamentary debate in June 2023, the minister for state at the department of transport Jack Chambers highlighted that “while alternatives to air travel such as rail can provide essential connectivity for many of our European neighbours, we do not have similar options as an island nation and air transport will therefore remain essential for our economy and our people”.
The dnaa’s Capital Investment Programme 2020+ outlines a number of capacity development projects to accommodate a demand level of 40 million passengers per annum by 2030, including the delivery of new aircraft stands and carbon-reducing infrastructure projects.