The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has suggested implementing a seating restriction at Dublin Airport for the summer of 2025 due to the anticipated surge in demand for slots at the airport, surpassing the existing capacity of 32 million passengers per annum. On Thursday, the regulatory body put forth the proposal of a 25.2 million limit on seat availability for the duration spanning from late March 2025 to October.
This could mean a second year of restrictions as the Dublin Airport grapples to stay within the annually permitted 32 million passenger limit set by An Bord Pleanála in a 2007 decision. The seat restriction for the current winter season, from the close of October to March 2025, stands at 14.4 million.
The proposed restriction would see a total seat limit of 39.6 million set for both periods, a figure exceeding the 32 million passenger limitation established in planning legislation. As the IAA explained, the higher seat cap considers the predicted load factors, the anticipated number of passengers per flight relative to the total seats in the plane, and adjustments for transit passengers.
The state-owned enterprise and airport operator, DAA, has requested Fingal County Council to raise the cap to 40 million. DAA recently announced an expected excess of 1 million passengers over the cap this year, which would potentially put them in violation of planning legislation.
However, as the IAA clarified in their draft decision on Thursday, the authority does not have the mandate to modify or revoke planning conditions or decide on the enforcement of these. The planning authorities, like Fingal County Council, are responsible for these determinations. Therefore, the IAA does not have the authority to evaluate the worth or relevance of the condition itself.
Further details are expected soon…