Cork Airport sees rise in passenger numbers, with 75% average flight capacity last month. Over 262,000 passengers travelled through the airport in May, ahead of its summer schedule. This marks a 10% increase since 2019, with passenger numbers remaining higher than pre-COVID levels. The top summer destinations include Malaga, Faro, and Lanzarote, with London Heathrow being the busiest route. A total of 1,900 flights were reported at Cork Airport last month alone.
The CEO of daa, Kenny Jacobs, stated that “the uplift in passenger traffic remains extremely strong with double-digit growth on May 2019 passenger numbers.” In fact, passenger traffic seen last month was on par with some of the historically busy weeks of late July and early August in previous years. Two new routes, Seville and La Rochelle, commenced at Cork Airport in the last week, offering more choice and convenience for Munster consumers.
Dublin Airport also showed signs of recovery, with more than 3.05 million passengers travelling through the airport in May, similar to 2019 figures. Flight capacity in the last month reached 82% across the airport’s more than 22,100 flights, with London Heathrow remaining its busiest route. However, just 58% of Dublin Airport flights left at their designated time, with the daa attributing delays to ongoing industrial action among Air Traffic Control in Europe.
As the summer schedule kicks off, Spain remains a favourite destination for both Cork and Dublin airports, with Malaga, Lanzarote, and Barcelona showing rising popularity for June, July, and August. With 78% of flights departing on time from Cork Airport, it is clear that the airport is continuing to attract passengers with its choice and convenience.
In conclusion, the recovery of passenger numbers at Cork and Dublin airports is a positive sign for the aviation industry in Ireland. The increase in flight capacity and the addition of new routes at Cork Airport is a testament to the airport’s efforts to provide a safe and convenient travel experience for passengers. However, the ongoing industrial action among Air Traffic Control in Europe is causing delays for passengers departing from Dublin Airport. Nonetheless, as the summer season progresses, it is expected that both airports will continue to see a rise in passenger numbers as more people choose to travel.