Regulations have been put in place at Dublin Airport, limiting airlines to accommodating a maximum of 14.4 million passengers between October this year and March the following year. This measure has been enacted by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) in response to robust travel demand. Two years ago, the IAA also limited Dublin, Ireland’s major airport, to 32 million passengers per year, as part of the conditions for approving an additional runway. The upcoming restrictions for the winter travel season (from October 27 to March 29) were instigated to ensure compliance with planning conditions for the annual capacity of terminals one and two.
These measures by the IAA have encountered resistance from airlines, particularly leading carriers such as Aer Lingus and Ryanair, who have previously voiced their dissatisfaction with the imposition of a passenger cap at Ireland’s main portal. They argue this cap is leading to increased air fares and stymieing job creation. Ryanair particularly criticised the IAA proposal, labelling it an ‘unlawful interference’ with airlines’ historic rights to slots for arrival and departure at Dublin Airport. Aer Lingus also challenged the move, stating that the IAA is overstepping its bounds by attempting to control passenger flow through Dublin. The decisions come at a time when the demand for travel is high in Ireland and airlines are searching for more space for take-offs and landings at Dublin Airport.