Airlines warn they may switch ‘focus’ from Dublin amid passenger cap uncertainty

The lack of certainty over the annual passenger cap at Dublin Airport may compel carriers at one of the world’s largest airline groups to focus on other airports if a decision is delayed. That is the warning from Jordi Pla Pintre, a director at low-cost Spanish airline Vueling, who is one of a number of airline executives to call on Fingal County Council to raise the current 32m passenger per annum cap at Dublin Airport to 40m. Vueling is part of the IAG Group that also owns Aer Lingus, British Airways and Iberia. In a submission, Pla Pintre on behalf of Vueling said that “retaining the existing cap” of 32m “restricts airlines’ ability to grow volumes into Dublin”. “The lack of certainty over the cap makes it challenging to forecast effectively and may compel IAG carriers to focus on other destinations or airports if a decision is delayed,” he said. “Fingal County Council should consider granting an immediate interim increase in the passenger cap at Dublin Airport pending the consideration of the full planning application.”<br/>