Ireland: Dublin Airport facing "huge disaster" with new runway

Dublin Airport boss Kevin Toland said the constraints on Dublin Airport’s planned new runway would cause an immediate and marked drop in passenger numbers. Toland told the Institute of International and European Affairs that it would be "horrific" and a "huge disaster" if the runway had to open with 2 key operating constraints still in place. These constraints, which are attached to the new runway’s existing planning permission, would restrict the overall number of flights at the airport between 11pm and 7am, and also prohibit use of the new runway before 7 in the morning. The airport currently handles 100 flights during that time period – the new cap would bring that number to 65. According to Toland, annual passenger numbers would fall by 3m immediately in such a scenario. <br/>