Dublin Airport adds four US routes amid ongoing passenger cap issues

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Dublin Airport adds four US routes amid ongoing passenger cap issues

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By Sky Industry News

Nov 18, 2024

The latest slot coordination report at Dublin Airport (DUB) confirms that the airport will add four new routes to the United States, despite a passenger cap still limiting its capacity. The new destinations include Detroit, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, and Nashville. These routes have been coordinated by Airport Coordination Limited (ACL), a UK-based slot coordinator with 75 airports in its portfolio.

Aer Lingus, based at Dublin Airport, has launched or plans to launch three of these transatlantic itineraries. On May 21, Aer Lingus announced seasonal flights from Dublin to Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), running from October 25 to April 29, 2025. The inaugural flight EI51 took off on October 25 with an Airbus A330-300.

The Irish airline also announced new flights to Nashville International Airport (BNA) and Indianapolis International Airport (IND) in October. Both routes will be operated by the Airbus A321XLR. Cirium data suggests that flights to Indianapolis and Nashville may continue into the next winter season.

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Delta Air Lines will operate the fourth route, offering direct flights to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), starting in May 2025.

Despite these expansions, the ACL report indicated a reduction in year-on-year capacity at Dublin Airport by 5.8% in passenger flight movements and 4.3% in seats. However, airlines including Aer Lingus and Ryanair secured a win when the Irish High Court suspended measures to reduce historic slots at the airport due to a passenger cap of 32 million annually.

Kenny Jacobs, CEO of daa, which operates Dublin and Cork Airports, commented on November 4 about the challenges faced: “We need to protect Irish jobs, connectivity and economic prosperity... but every day we hear new concerns from impacted people.” He emphasized that while growth is desired at Dublin Airport, compliance with the cap is mandatory.