- The Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Act 2026 has become law
- DAA has requested the limit rise from 32m to 40m
- An Coimisiún Pleanála must complete environmental assessments and public consultation
- The process can take up to 28 weeks before any order is signed
- A pending EU court ruling could influence the final outcome
Each of the three major US carriers and Alaskan Airways have now announced their summer 2027 schedules and excluded Dublin from growth plans as finalising the removal of the Dublin Airport passenger cap enters a new regulatory phase that could take up to six months.
The Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Act 2026 has become law and gives the Minister for Transport power to address the longstanding 32m passenger annual limit. DAA has formally requested a rise to 40m, with An Coimisiún Pleanála required to complete environmental and appropriate assessments plus public consultation before any order is signed. The process can take up to 28 weeks, with the airport already exceeding the old limit and traffic continuing to rise.
Enforcement has been stayed by the courts for some time, with a final Court of Justice of the EU ruling on related issues remaining pending and potentially influencing outcomes. The court decision could affect the long-term application of capacity limits and their interaction with EU Open Skies arrangements. The Minister for Transport has been granted powers under the new legislation to address the capacity cap through a structured assessment process.
Flights continue to proceed as normal for the present time, though longer term questions around EU-US Open Skies and capacity remain unresolved. The ongoing traffic growth at Dublin Airport has placed pressure on infrastructure and operational capacity, with DAA seeking the increase to 40m to accommodate projected passenger numbers. The assessment process will determine whether the environmental impacts of increased capacity can be appropriately managed.
DAA shared “We have formally requested the passenger cap be raised to 40m to accommodate continued traffic growth.”
The Minister for Transport shared “The new legislation provides a structured process for addressing the airport’s capacity limits.”
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