Kenny Jacobs, CEO of the government-owned corporation DAA, has confirmed that discussions are underway with airlines to introduce new flight paths from Cork Airport in the following year. This initiative has been initiated by Cork’s recent choice to lower fees in order to stimulate commercial growth.
Cork Airport reported two million passengers earlier in the year, a benchmark achieved quicker than ever before, as indicated by numbers from the Central Statistics Office. Mr Jacobs also alluded to a number of European cities, including Barcelona, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Madrid, and Warsaw, that do not currently have direct flights from Cork, adding that it should ideally offer all-year-round routes to these locations.
Aer Lingus and Ryanair continue to be significant players at the airport, with Ryanair recently confirming its decision to extend its summer flights from Cork to Brussels to an annual service. Meanwhile, Aer Lingus Regional recently made public its plans to add flights to Glasgow from the upcoming winter and to increase flight frequency to Bristol.
Although future routes will likely predominantly comprise short-haul flights, DAA is open to discussions about long-haul services with airlines. In 2024, an estimated 3.1 million passengers will travel via Cork, an 11% rise from the previous year, making it the fastest-growing state airport in the Republic, outperforming both Dublin and Shannon.
In July, DAA announced a reduction of passenger charges on airlines at Cork to incentivise additional services. The growth potential at Cork is bolstered by a planning restriction limiting Dublin to 32 million passengers annually, thereby creating an opportunity for alternative airports.
DAA is also in the early stages of negotiations with the Cork City Council regarding expanding Cork Airport’s capabilities to manage five million travellers yearly.
The project includes installing an intermediary floor to the terminal, repurposing a facility building for additional stands, and tearing down the old, now redundant, terminal edifice to provide more space for surplus stands and gates. Mr Jacobs has intimated that the discussions with the local city planning department are progressing favourably. He reported, “The Cork population, the city council, local neighbourhoods, and politicians, are all greatly cooperative.” The State-owned business may apply for development consent for the project in 2025. Earlier this year, DAA disclosed its intention to expand operations in Cork. The total city and county populace is projected to reach a million, indicating that infrastructure, including the airport, will need to accommodate this growth.