- Stormont argued to keep two Belfast airports.
- Consultants recommended one regional hub.
- Dublin Airport outcompeted Belfast facilities.
- Officials offered to rewrite report.
- Files declassified revealed 25-year-old warnings.
State Papers released under the 25 year rule show the determination of Stormont officials to keep two Belfast airports in the face of consolidation proposals from London.
Civil servants and ministers expressed clear support for retaining Belfast City Airport and Belfast International Airport after a team of consultants advised the city would need a single regional hub to counter the growth of Dublin.
One official offered to rewrite the report if needed, files declassified at the Public Record Office in Belfast show. The study commissioned by Whitehall’s Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions examined future air travel in the region. Officials were warned that Dublin Airport was pulling passengers away from Belfast but fought against consolidating traffic into one airport, preferring to keep two smaller facilities.
The decision influenced long-term aviation strategy. In the 25 years since Dublin Airport have leaped ahead dramatically in passenger numbers.
