- Passengers by year:
- Dublin Airport Opens: January 1940
- 250,000 passengers: 1951/52*
- 500,000 passengers: 1957/58*
- 1m passengers: 1962/63*
- 2m passengers: 1971/72*
- 5m passengers: 1989
- 10m passengers: 1997
- 15m passengers: 2002
- 20m passengers: 2006
- 25m passengers: 2015
- 30m passengers: 2018
- (*April year-end)
Dublin Airport has broken the 30m passenger barrier ahead of the busy Christmas period.
Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison said: “We’re delighted to pass the 30 million passenger mark for the first time in Dublin Airport’s history. I’d like to thank our airline customers, our passengers, our staff and our partners, all of whom played a role in helping the airport reach this historic passenger milestone.”
Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport are up 6pc so far this year, with good growth in European, transatlantic and other long-haul markets, he said.
Dublin Airport broke the 1m figure back in 1962/1963, and passed the 20m mark 12 years ago. The biggest blip was in 2010 when passenger numbers fell by 2m, blamed on the recession, the volcanic ash crisis and wintry weather.
Just 18.5m people used the airport in 2010, a drop of almost 20pc from the earlier peak of 2008.
“The passenger growth at Dublin Airport is good news for the entire Irish economy, as the extra traffic stimulates extra tourism and trade throughout the country,” he said. “The economic activity generated by the passengers who have used Dublin Airport so far this year underpins the record numbers of tourism visitors to Ireland, boosts Irish exports and helps keep the Irish economy growing,” according to Mr Harrison.
Vincent Harrison, MD of Dublin Airport
The most recent data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows record levels of spending by overseas visitors to the State in the first nine months of this year. Total spending increased by 7.2pc during the period, while spending by holidaymakers was up by 12.2pc.
The contract for Dublin Airport’s new North Runway was awarded in October and mobilisation works for this project are currently under way.
Consultations were also held recently on a capital investment programme, the centrepiece of which is a €900m capacity expansion plan to help Dublin Airport grow to 40m passengers a year.
The proposal includes an investment of about €400m to build new capacity in the northern end of the airport close to Terminal 1, while €500m will be invested at the southern apron area close to Terminal 2.
This €900m investment programme will see the construction of new boarding gate areas, additional aircraft parking stands and many other significant improvements. The €900m capacity package is part of wider plan which also includes €200m of airfield works and a €120m annual spend on repair and maintenance and revenue generating projects.
Latest posts by TravelExtra (see all)
- TRAVEL Extra Remains Open for Business - April 26, 2020
- Irish Travel Agents Association announce upcoming events for Autumn 2020 - April 21, 2020
- Updated return to cruise dates - April 17, 2020
- Future of Aviation - April 15, 2020
- Travel Extra May 2020: Surviving the crisis - April 8, 2020
