Ryanair has also criticised the cap, which has been confirmed in a recent decision from An Coimisiún Pleanála.
Some residents’ groups around Dublin Airport are also unhappy with the latest decision on night-time flights by the planning regulator.
Aer Lingus currently operates 19 routes from Dublin to the US and one to Canada. It’s also launching a seasonal service next January from Dublin to Cancun, Mexico.
“It is likely to have the effect of restricting future growth of North Atlantic traffic and the basing of additional short-haul aircraft in Dublin, with consequent negative economic and employment impacts,” a spokesperson said of the decision.
An Coimisiún Pleanála’s ruling, announced yesterday, means that Dublin Airport will not have to reduce the number of flights it handles at night-time.
The planning regulator reversed a planned cut to numbers it had previously signalled would be imposed.
In a draft decision last September, the commission had said it intended to cap at 13,000 the number of flights permitted to use Dublin Airport between 11pm and 7am in a 12-month period.
That would have represented a 60pc decrease on the current permitted use.
Now, however, An Coimisiún Pleanála has essentially given permission for the second runway at the airport to be used for more hours, and allowed it to handle more flights.
Aircraft will now be permitted to use the runway between 6am and midnight – an increase on the current window of 7am to 11pm.
The commission said that the airport will also be subject to a noise quota scheme, which means certain aircraft will not be able to use the runway at night, but agreed that an annual cap of 35,672 night-time aircraft movements at Dublin Airport “would be appropriate”.
It said that number will allow the airport to grow, “while providing an essential safeguard against excessive night-time activity”.
Ryanair said the airport is already handling about 35,000 night-time flights a year.
DAA, which operates Dublin Airport, broadly welcomed the decision.
Aer Lingus currently operates 20 transatlantic routes out of Dublin Airport. Photo: Getty
DAA chief executive Kenny Jacobs said it “removes uncertainty for Dublin Airport and the airlines, as well as having a positive impact on jobs and investment in Ireland”.
“This unlocks more efficient utilisation of this vital national infrastructure, which future-proofs Dublin Airport’s capacity to manage further passenger growth,” a spokesperson added.
Mr Jacobs said DAA is, however, “disappointed that An Coimisiún Pleanála imposed an annual cap of 35,672 night-time aircraft movements in addition to the annual noise quota”.
DAA had sought to remove a numerical cap on the average number of flights permitted between 11pm and 7am. It wanted the cap replaced with an annual noise quota, which would be applied between 11.30pm and 6am.
A move to a noise quota had also been recommended by the Aircraft Noise Competent Authority, which operates under Fingal County Council.
DAA noted that the decision removes a significant barrier to the progress of infrastructure applications it has lodged with Fingal County Council, which seek permission for a range of investments at Dublin Airport. It includes an application to increase the annual number of passengers to 40 million.
Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien said he is aware of the concerns of people living in the vicinity of the airport, but added that “maximising connectivity to and from Ireland is one of my priorities”.
Ryanair also hit out at the flight cap
“This decision should enable DAA to progress the planning applications which have been submitted to Fingal County Council,” Mr O’Brien said.
“I encourage [DAA] to now move to respond to the requests for further information from the relevant authorities.
“This will facilitate the planning decisions necessary for sustainable development of the airport.”
The St Margaret’s The Ward (SMTW) residents’ group and some local organisations expressed “profound disappointment and despair” following An Coimisiún Pleanála’s decision.
The group said the decision will inflict “severe hardship on communities that are already suffering from the impact of illegal flight paths over residential areas”.
Since the opening of the North Runway in August 2022, residents living under these flight paths said they have endured “daily torment from the relentless roar of jets over their homes”.
A spokesperson for SMTW residents, Liam O’Gradaigh, said: “What makes this approval particularly egregious is that the flight paths could have been routed over uninhabited solar panel fields, which have been lying barren for over 20 years in anticipation of authorised flight paths.
“Instead, the decision intentionally subjects thousands of people to unnecessary noise and pollution, which could have been easily avoided.”
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