Court suspends Dublin Airport passenger cap beyond summer

Enforcement of a 32m a year limit on passengers at Dublin Airport was suspended by the High Court on Wednesday pending the outcome of a legal challenge that has been referred to Europe. State regulator, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) had indicated that it would take the passenger cap, which is a planning condition, into account when allocating take-off and landing slots to airlines at Dublin. On Wednesday, Mr Justice Barry O’Donnell halted the authority from doing so, pending the outcome of a High Court challenge taken last year by Irish airlines, Ryanair and Aer Lingus, and Airlines for America, which represents US and Canadian carriers. His order followed a hearing on Friday during which the airlines argued that the court should halt the IAA from taking the cap into account when allocating slots until the case is resolved. Wednesday’s ruling effectively suspends implementation of the cap until the court finally deals with the challenge that the airlines began last year, although the planning condition itself remains. During Friday’s hearing, the IAA told the court that it was likely to follow previous decisions and take the restriction into account when allocating airline slots at Dublin Airport, which it does twice a year in advance of each summer and winter.<br/>