Dublin Airport lost an estimated 25.5m passengers last year, which is the equivalent to the entire population of Australia. The last time it had fewer than 8m passengers in a calendar year was in 1994, 27 years ago.
Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport have fallen further since the end of last year, with January passenger numbers down by 90pc. Daily passenger traffic is currently down by up to 98pc compared to the same period in 2020, the DAA said.
Dublin Airport has played a vital role in the importation of PPE and other medical equipment, facilitating the arrival of 6.2m tonnes of equipment on 357 separate cargo flights, operated by 16 different airlines.
Dublin Airport Faces Backlash Over Proposed Night-Time Operations
Advertisement:
A proposal by the Dublin Airport Authority to extend night-time operations is hitting some roadblocks. Dublin Airport is spending €320 million ($279 million) building a new runway. The airport also wants to amend curfew restrictions on the nighttime use of their runways. That will boost the number of flights in and out of the airport. But at least one Government Minister is opposing the airport’s plans.
Dublin Airport wants to raise movement limits and relax curfews when its new runway opens. Photo: Dublin Airport
Before the travel downturn, Dublin Airport was one of the busiest in the EU and one of the fastest-growing. It is the entry point for over 80% of all arrivals into Ireland. The Dublin Airport Authority has submitted an application to Fingal County Council asking to extend its operating hours and change some night-time operations.
A government minister and a deputy press secretary have objected to increased flight activity at Dublin Airport during the night.In December the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) submitted a planning
Appointment of Shannon Group chair still awaited Share
NEARLY six months after Rose Hynes’ time as Chairman of Shannon Group came to an end, she still has not been replaced.
When questioned this week about when the position will be filled, the Department of Transport issued a statement saying, “The position of Chairperson of Shannon Group was advertised by the Public Appointments Service and the Minister is currently considering a shortlist of candidates. The Minister hopes to be in a position to appoint a new Chairperson to Shannon Group shortly.”
Ms Hynes is so far the only person to have chaired Shannon Group, which came into being after Shannon Airport separated from the Dublin Airport Authority at the start of 2013. In addition to the airport it also has a sizable industrial property portfolio, particularly in the Shannon Free Zone, while it runs a number of major tourist attractions, including Bunratty Castle & Folk Park and King John’s Castle.
By Reuters Staff
(Adds Aer Lingus statement)
DUBLIN, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Ireland’s sovereign wealth fund’s domestic investments in 2020 were almost exclusively in businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including a 150 million euro ($180 million) loan to IAG’s Irish airline Aer Lingus.
The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) was established in 2014 to invest in supporting economic activity and employment in Ireland. It was mandated last May to invest up to 2 billion euros directly in larger firms hit by the pandemic via equity, debt and hybrid instruments.
It said on Monday that 90% of the 430 million euros invested in Ireland in 2020 was for this purpose, mostly so-called “stabilisation investments”, including the three-year Aer Lingus loan and 40 million euros committed to the Dublin Airport Authority.