Dublin: Ryanair’s CEO has warned that air fares to and from Dublin will increase this winter due to restrictions on passenger numbers. Dublin Airport is expecting to handle 14.4 million passengers this winter, a record for the season. However, more than one million potential seats cannot be offered, affecting travel plans for Christmas and major events like the Cheltenham Festival and Champions League.
Ryanair has urged Transport Minister Eamon Ryan and the government to lift these restrictions. The airline’s CEO, Eddie Wilson, highlighted the impact on routes such as Dublin-London, where one-way fares could reach up to €500. Ryanair aimed to increase winter passengers by 9%, adding three flights and 15 routes, but only secured slots for 6.4 million passengers instead of the targeted 7.5 million.
Wilson blamed the situation on delays in obtaining necessary permissions for airport expansion. Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) CEO Kenny Jacobs supported increasing the airport’s capacity, aiming for swift action to address the issue. The airport’s handling of 32 million passengers this year marks a historic high, but infrastructure developments have been scaled back, impacting capacity plans.