Ireland moves to scrap Dublin Airport passenger cap amid slot cut fears

Ireland is moving to remove Dublin Airport’s 32 million annual passenger cap, with the government preparing legislation that could clear the way for further growth at the country’s main aviation gateway.

According to The Irish Times report, Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien is expected to bring the Dublin Airport Passenger Capacity Bill 2026 to Cabinet this month. If approved, the bill would grant the Minister the authority to alter or revoke the long-standing passenger limit at Dublin Airport (DUB).

The government wants to pass the legislation through Parliament before the summer break in mid-July. If the process takes longer, final approval may be delayed until early September 2026.

The move comes as airlines warn that the existing cap could soon lead to forced capacity cuts. A pending European court ruling may require the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) to take the 32 million passenger limit into account when allocating take-off and landing slots at DUB. If that happens before the law is changed, airlines could face reduced slot availability, fewer flights, and restrictions on future growth at Ireland’s busiest airport.

Dublin Airport handled more than 36 million passengers in 2025, around four million above the current planning limit. The airport is Ireland’s largest international gateway and handles most of the country’s air traffic, including a large share of transatlantic services.

Airlines have been pressing the Irish government to remove the cap, arguing that the restriction no longer reflects actual demand at Dublin Airport. Ryanair and Aer Lingus are among the airlines most exposed to the issue. In May 2024, Ryanair warned that the cap had already blocked additional seat capacity at Dublin,. In the meantime, Aer Lingus depends on the airport as its main base and as a key hub for North American services.

RELATED

Aer Lingus profits rise, considers legal action against Dublin Airport caps  

The legal dispute now focuses on whether the IAA should apply the planning cap when setting airport slot capacity. Airlines challenged the IAA approach in the High Court in late 2024, after the regulator moved to reflect Dublin Airport’s 32 million passenger cap in slot-capacity decisions. The High Court paused the IAA decision in November 2024 and later referred questions on EU law to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

A new ruling is expected in the coming months. If the court finds that the IAA must consider the cap, the regulator could be forced to apply the limit more strictly.

The passenger cap was introduced in 2007 as part of planning conditions linked to airport development at the time. However, aviation demand at Dublin has grown significantly since then, and DUB airport is already operating above the official passenger limit.The post Ireland moves to scrap Dublin Airport passenger cap amid slot cut fears appeared first on AeroTime.

Go to Source