In a recent meeting between the chief executive of Ryanair, Michael O’Leary, and junior minister James Lawless, it was discussed how to address the passenger cap issue at Dublin Airport. O’Leary suggested that Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan sign a letter instructing the aviation regulator to issue additional slots, in line with the Aviation Regulation Act 2001.
Despite commitments to consider the proposal, Lawless remains unsure if it is feasible. However, he plans to engage with other stakeholders, including Aer Lingus and daa, to explore potential solutions.
With the current cap set at 32 million passengers per year, daa has applied for an increase to 40 million. In the meantime, O’Leary argued that diverting traffic to regional airports could offer a temporary solution. However, he rejected the idea of operating one-off flights from these airports.
Ryanair believes the cap needs to be lifted to facilitate holiday travel, warning that even government flights could be affected. Without intervention, O’Leary humorously suggested ministers might resort to ferry travel this winter.