Dublin Airport passengers could hit 35m next year

Dublin Airport could handle about 35m passengers next year following this week’s court ruling, meaning the hub would exceed a controversial cap on numbers there for the second time. The High Court blocked regulators from limiting the number of passengers that airlines at Dublin can fly next summer pending the outcome of lawsuits challenging the move, which is tied to a 32m passenger cap imposed by planners on the airport. Kenny Jacobs, CE of State company DAA, which runs Dublin Airport, predicted that about 35m people could pass through it in 2025 as a result. DAA figures show that the airport is poised to breach the 32m limit this year. Jacobs said the company now expected modest growth in 2025. Airlines faced the loss of about 1m seats from summer 2024 had the court decided that air travel regulator the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) could apply the limit. That would have forced them to cut flights, driving up air fares and enduring tens of millions of euro each in revenue losses, while they and the airport would have had to axe jobs.<br/>