Bookings at Gulf carrier Emirates’ Irish division are strong for the year ahead, according to country manager Anita Thomas.
The airline was among the first international carriers operating out of the Republic to return to pre-pandemic capacity and rapidly reinstated its twice daily service from Dublin to Dubai as travel curbs were lifted.
Ms Thomas said on Thursday that Emirates was seeing good demand for every month through this year in a marked change from the pattern that emerged in the pandemic’s wake, when many people bought flights just a month or two in advance.
Since Emirates launched its service in 2012, Irish people have used it to connect to destinations in the Far East, Australia and South Africa.
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However, Dubai’s quick reopening as the virus receded has helped boost the emirate’s popularity as a destination in its own right with Irish holidaymakers, Ms Thomas said.
She joined other industry figures in calling for an end to the 32 million-a-year passenger limit that planners have imposed on Dublin Airport.
[ Passenger limits threaten to hamstring Dublin Airport and damage economyOpens in new window ]
“We would be very supportive of having that moved up to 40 million,” Ms Thomas said.
She pointed out that all airlines aim to grow business at the airports from which they operate, so a passenger cap “takes that out of your hands”.
Airport operator, DAA, has applied to Fingal County Council to have the cap increased to 40 million.
Emirates is seeking to hire 5,000 cabin crew worldwide this year and will hold open days in the Republic for prospective candidates.
