An Bord Pleanála has proposed redefining restrictions on night-time flights at Dublin Airport, extending operating hours from 11pm to midnight and 7am to 6am.
The board upheld Fingal County Council’s August 2022 decision to relax night-time flight limits imposed at the runway’s initial planning stage and replace the limit on movements with an annual night-time noise quota between 11.30pm and 6am.
The new proposal introduces a night-time noise quota replacing the previous cap on aircraft movements, alongside conditions to mitigate noise disturbances and impacts on health, while ensuring the airport complies with specific planning conditions.
The board has also proposed a condition that there should be a limit of 13,000 flights between 11pm and 6.59am per annum with a cap of 9,100 during the summer period to allow for extra flights.
Support for the changes has come from airlines and business organisations citing competitiveness, while opponents argue that no significant changes warrant altering the original planning conditions for the North Runway. The move was opposed by local residents and environmental groups.
Regarding the ongoing passenger cap controversy at Dublin airport, CEDo of day Kenny Jacobs said: “An operational application to Fingal County Council is an option but everybody will have to be in solution mode. Open skies was not written with passenger caps in mind, particularly passenger caps which favour domestic carriers over non-domestic.“
