The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) is preparing to disclose the specifics of the take-off and landing slots it will assign to airlines for the forthcoming summer season at Dublin Airport. This release, which is liable to ignite another disagreement surrounding the airport’s 32 million passenger limit, seeks to define specific flight schedules for each airline.
This information is planned to be publicised this Thursday, according to an IAA spokesperson. To ensure compliance with the imposed cap, the regulatory body has already limited airlines to cater to 14.4 million passengers between October 27th and March 29th the following year.
The limit of 32 million passengers was imposed as a prerequisite to permitting the construction of a second runway in 2022, a restriction enforced by the planners at Fingal County Council. This cap has been a source of perpetual dispute. Kenny Jacobs, chief executive of DAA, the entity managing Dublin airport, expressed last week that despite strenuous efforts, this cap might be exceeded this year.
The IAA’s grant details will be revealed following an unproductive meeting between Ryanair’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, and the Minister of State for Transport, James Lawless. The matter discussed was the stipulated 32 million passenger limit at Dublin Airport. The conversation formed part of a series of discussions Lawless had this week involving various stakeholders, including airline representatives and DAA chief executive Kenny Jacobs.
In the recent discussion, Lawless indicated that airlines should seek to diversify their operations and focus on regional airports to reduce reliance on Dublin. However, O’Leary dismissed this proposal as unrealistic, accommodating that 60% of the traffic intends to reach Dublin, not Shannon or Cork.
Mr O’Leary stated that Christmas travellers from London and other parts of the UK have expressed their preference to fly directly to Dublin rather than having to connect through Cork or Shannon. He estimated that the airline might be able to redirect around 50,000 passengers to Belfast during the winter, yet he believes the majority of Irish individuals returning home for the festivities will likely travel via ferries.
Ryanair, before the scheduled meeting, forwarded a provisional ministerial letter to the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan. The airline contends that if this document is authorised by the minister and forwarded to the IAA, it could “bring an end to the crisis” over the passenger limit for this winter, while the Fingal County Council deliberates whether to increase this limit.
In the meantime, the DAA, a government-owned company that operates Dublin Airport, submitted a proposal last December to the council to increase the cap to 40 million as part of a broader infrastructure project. The council requested more detailed information in February, and DAA is now gearing up to submit another temporary application hoping it can expedite an increase in the passenger limit.
However, Mr O’Leary emphasised an immediate requirement for additional slots this winter to cater to the demand for flights as the local authorities come to a decision.
Ahead of a meeting with stakeholders, Mr Lawless expressed that he considers the current cap as “outmoded”. He indicated the growing percentage of passengers using bus services to travels to the airport, which has risen from 15 per cent in 2006 to 35 per cent this year, thereby reducing the number of car passengers. He expressed his willingness to consider any potential solutions offered by stakeholders and committed to being open-minded and innovative in resolving the current situation.