Dublin Airport tops 23 million passengers in 2007

The numbers travelling to European destinations jumped 18% to almost 12 million - the biggest increase – while traffic to the UK, Middle East and the US was also up.

Dublin Airport Director Robert Hilliard said: “2007 was another very busy, challenging and successful year for Dublin Airport.

“Facilitating more than two million additional passengers averaged out at an extra 5,700 passengers every day in 2007.

“Our focus last year was to deliver additional capacity and improve facilities for our customers, which was achieved with the introduction of Check-in Area 14, a new centralised Garda National Immigration Bureau and Pier D,” he said.

Top European destinations included Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Poland and the Nordic and Baltic states.

A record 1.6 million passengers travelled to the United States, up 11% on 2006.

The addition of Aer Lingus’ new routes to Washington, Orlando and San Francisco, together with increased capacity from Delta Airlines, US Airways and American Airlines contributed strongly to the hike.

Numbers to the UK jumped by just under 1% to 8.6 million and by 17% to the Middle East and Africa.

Irish destinations also fared well with 900,000 passengers taking internal flights last year, up 5% on 2006.

Mr Hilliard said a further one million passengers are expected to use the airport this year.

“In addition to new routes/services offering more choice for our customers, all visitors to the airport will see the landscape of the airport change dramatically as work continues apace on T2.

“In the meantime work will shortly commence on a 7,500 sq metre extension to the existing terminal, which will be completed early in 2009 providing even more benefits for our customers,” he said.

Just over 40 routes or services were launched in Dublin during 2007.

Almost 90 airlines operate out of the airport to around 200 destinations in 35 countries worldwide.