Dublin Airport set to exceed passenger cap after busiest September ever

"Things are going to get worse before they get better"

The daa (Dublin Airport Authority) announced that 3.08 million passengers went through the terminal doors of Dublin Airport, up 4% on the same month last year.

This made it the busiest September ever in Dublin Airport’s 84-year history.

A daa spokesperson said that the record numbers were reinforced by "late summer breaks, the post-summer resumption of business travel, and strong flows of tourists into Ireland for big sporting events such as the Ireland versus England football international in Dublin."

Last month was our busiest September ever at @DublinAirport! It would have been even busier too had daa not continued to make every effort to comply with the 32 million terminals passenger cap.

Want to know more? Graeme McQueen brings us the full story of September at… pic.twitter.com/8xgkqJN2up

— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) October 3, 2024

Dublin Airport set to exceed passenger cap after busiest September ever

Last month, daa said that the 32 million passenger passenger cap, which was imposed in 2007, is expected to be exceeded, meaning some airlines are scaling back their operations, which will in turn raise prices.

It is expected that passenger numbers will be closer to 33 million for 2024, despite efforts to reduce numbers by about 650,000.

"So far this year, a total of 25.8 million passengers have passed through the doors of Dublin Airport – an increase of 5.3% on the same period in 2023. With every passing month, Dublin Airport’s passenger numbers get closer to the 32 million cap," a statement said on Thursday morning.

Numbers are expected to slow past October as flight operators like Ryanair and Aer Lingus scale back their flights over uncertainty over the passenger cap.

Daa CEO Kenny Jacobs said: "Things are going to get worse before they get better.

"The coming months will see the passenger cap starting to bite more firmly as airlines finalise their summer 2025 schedules with fewer slots available and reduced capacity, despite overwhelming demand from passengers to fly in and out of Dublin Airport.

"Meanwhile airports across Europe are working hard to get and keep the flights Dublin is losing.

"And daa is obliged to continue to do its utmost to comply with the cap, despite not controlling the slot process."

Mr Jacobs previously criticised the “outdated passenger cap”, saying that it leaves the airport “caught between a rock and a hard place”.

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