Two airports in Ireland had 18 million footfalls in first half of 2024

DUBLIN, Ireland: Nearly 18 million passengers passed through Dublin and Cork Airports in the first half of 2024, reflecting strong growth in both airports.

Dublin Airport saw a five percent increase in passenger traffic from January to June, while Cork Airport experienced an 11 percent rise, making it the fastest-growing airport in the country.

The DAA group, which operates both airports, reported revenues of 504.3 million euros, up 10 percent from the same period last year. This was largely driven by a 15 percent increase in domestic revenue, which totaled 389.3 million euros. Group profits after tax rose 44 percent to 83.1 million euros, compared to 48.8 million euros in the first half of 2023.

Aeronautical revenue increased by 21 percent to 157.1 million euros, while non-aeronautical revenue, boosted by food, beverage, and retail sales, grew by 12 percent to 232.3 million euros. The group also rebranded its duty-free stores at Dublin and Cork Airports during the year, and profits from its international retail and management business, Aer Rianta International (ARI), rose from 10.5 million euros to 14.2 million euros.

DAA CEO Kenny Jacobs expressed satisfaction with the company's strong financial performance in the first half of 2024.

"This is a credit to the efforts of our employees across the business at home and overseas. The continued growth in passenger numbers and revenue reflects the robust demand from passengers and airlines alike to grow their business at our airports," he said.

"However, there are strong headwinds ahead as a result of ongoing planning issues and the 32 million passenger cap at Dublin Airport which will be reflected in our performance for the second half of this year and into 2025."

Jacobs noted that the cap, imposed in 2007, limits Dublin Airport's ability to meet growing demand, leading to fewer available seats and higher airfares in the near future. While DAA has applied to increase capacity to 40 million passengers, approval could take up to two years. In the meantime, the group is pursuing a "no-build" operational application to lift the cap more quickly.