Passenger limits at Dublin Airport to be raised next summer

The Republic's air travel regulator has increased the limit on the number of passengers that can depart from Dublin Airport at peak times next summer, setting up a clash with Irish carrier Aer Lingus.

The Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) has increased the limit on the number of passengers that can depart from Dublin during peak morning hours – 6am to 8am – next summer, to allow two extra flights to take off during that time.

The decision has angered Aer Lingus, which pointed out that the airport is already congested and that the commission itself acknowledged that its move would increase delays.

“These operational delays will have a disproportionate impact on Aer Lingus, which has an increasing number of guests connecting at Dublin Airport,” the airline said in a statement.

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Infrastructure

Aer Lingus called on the airport's manager, State company DAA, to invest in the infrastructure needed to cope with the extra connecting passengers.

The airline uses Dublin to transfer passengers between short-haul European services and its transatlantic flights. Delays in one could potentially have a knock-on effect on the other.

The CAR has increased the limit on the number of passengers departing from Dublin during peak morning times next summer to 3,700 an hour from both terminals – from 3,375 for terminal one and 3,450 from terminal two. It has increased the hourly limit on passengers arriving at terminal one to 3,550 from 3,390.

The CAR report outlining the decision says that it has not been convinced by arguments against the increase, nor has it been given additional analyses that would support a different decision.