Dublin Airport passenger numbers to top 20 million
Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport are set to reach a record 20 million this year, it emerged today.
Figures for the first nine months of 2006 showed an increase of two million on last year, Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said.
Total traffic to the end of September reached 16.2 million – a 15% increase on 2005.
“The growth of an additional two million passengers to date represents an extra full peak month of traffic at Dublin Airport,” said a DAA spokesperson.
“There is little doubt that passenger traffic through Dublin Airport this year will surpass new record levels of over 20 million passengers.”
The European market delivered the strongest growth so far this year with almost eight million passengers – a 25% increase over 2005.
Both Aer Lingus and Ryanair contributed to the extra volume by introducing new European routes and larger aircraft.
Transatlantic traffic grew by 7% to over one million passengers.
The DAA said this increase can be attributed to good performances on the New York route and in particular with the addition of daily flights into the general New York area.
UK traffic rose by 5% to 6.4 million passengers for the first nine months, while domestic traffic grew by 26% to over 600,000 passengers.
A new milestone was reached in June when more than two million passengers travelled through the airport in one month for the first time.
A further 2 million followed in the following months of July, August and September.
Already Dublin Airport has seen the equivalent number of passengers travel through the airport in the first nine months of 2006 as did in all of 2003.
The spokesperson added: “Much work has already taken place in the terminal building this year to meet the daily challenges of rising passenger numbers.
“In addition, work is well under way in the construction of Pier D and a new Check-in Area 14, delivering 25 additional check-in desks, which will be ready by the end of the year.
“A planning application for Terminal 2, with capacity for up to 15 million passengers, was submitted in August.”
