‘€130m in funding under threat’ – Aer Lingus submission asks US not to sanction airline over passenger cap

For the second time in a week, Aer Lingus has urged the US Department of Transportation to permit Irish legislative, planning, and judicial processes concerning the passenger cap at Dublin Airport to proceed without interruption before any curtailment or suspension of flights by Irish carriers to the United States occurs.

The Irish Government has approved plans for legislation to remove the cap, with completion expected by the end of the year. This follows a complaint from US lobby group Airlines for America, which requested consideration of suspensions due to claimed damage to American airlines’ economic interests at Dublin.

Aer Lingus confirmed in a recent submission that it opposes any retaliatory measures from the US authorities. The airline revealed potential losses of €130 million in revenue during 2025 and 2026 if restrictions to enforce the cap had proceeded. An advocate general of the Court of Justice of the European Union will publish an opinion on Thursday regarding challenges by Aer Lingus and Ryanair to slot restriction efforts by the Irish Aviation Authority, with a full ruling to follow in coming months.

Aer Lingus shared “Aer Lingus respectfully requests that the Department deny the complaint and allow the Irish legislative and judicial processes to reach favourable completion” in its submission to the US government. Aer Lingus shared “Aer Lingus strenuously opposes the implementation of unwarranted and counterproductive retaliatory measures.” Slots remain available in the normal course to accommodate new entrants at Dublin Airport subject only to infrastructure constraints” in its latest response. “There is quite simply no past or ongoing harm to US carriers that would justify approval of the complaint at this time. “the claim is incorrect and misleading.”