The number of passengers who travelled through Irish airports over the peak summer months was significantly higher than the same period last year but still well below pre-pandemic levels, Central Statistics Office (CSO) data indicates.
Some 10.4 million travellers used the five main airports in the Republic – Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Knock and Kerry – between July and September.
This was almost three times more than over the same period last year but was still 10 per cent lower than the pre-pandemic third quarter of 2019.
Overall, 24.3 million passengers used the five main air travel hubs in the first nine months of the year, a substantial increase of 19.7 million from first nine months of 2021 when international travel was still depressed by public health restrictions.
However, the year-to-date figure is 5.4 million lower than the first nine months of 2019.
The data covers a portion of the busy summer period in which Dublin Airport struggled to cope with passenger numbers amid staff shortages. A number of airlines, including Aer Lingus and Ryanair, were also forced to cancel flights between July and September due to industrial action by ground and handling staff at various European airports.
The number of flights to and from Irish airports in the third quarter also remained 13 per cent lower than pre-pandemic levels despite a strong recovery compared to last year.
Post office quarrels/Drug dealing impacts city centre businesses
CEO of An Post David McRedmond joins Ciaran Hancock to discuss the ongoing row between An Post and the UK’s Post Office over the implementation of post-Brexit customs rules, which is resulting in thousands of online purchases being returned to British retailers. Later on, we hear from two Dublin city centre business owners, Stephen Kennedy of Copper+Straw cafe and Sean Crescenzi of Happy Endings restaurant. They speak about the impact that anti-social behaviour and drug dealing, in and around Aston Quay, is having on their businesses and the immediate and long-term solutions they would like to see implemented to address the issue.
Slightly more than 68,700 flights were handled by Ireland’s five main airports in the third quarter, 36,000 more than last year, with Dublin Airport handling 84 per cent of the total and Cork Airport accounting for 7 per cent.
London-Heathrow, London-Gatwick and Amsterdam-Schiphol were the most popular routes for passengers travelling through Dublin Airport, the CSO said.
The top route for Cork Airport was London-Heathrow while the top routes for Knock and Shannon airports was London-Stansted. The most popular route for Kerry Airport was London-Luton.
Despite significant challenges, the post-pandemic recovery in tourism and international travel has gathered pace as the year has gone on.
However, there are concerns that momentum could slow next year as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.
In an Irish Hotels Federation survey last month, hoteliers reported a decline in forward bookings for 2023 compared with 2019. Some 60 per cent of survey respondents noting a decline in bookings from Britain, 47 per cent from Northern Ireland and 38 per cent indicating a decline in forward bookings by European tourists.
