Dublin Airport considered business jet ban to avoid passenger cap breach

Ken Foxe

Dublin Airport considered suspending all business jet travel as it faced the prospect of breaching its 32 million annual passenger cap.

Newly released records reveal how the DAA, which operates the airport, was warned that any move to cut business aviation access would send an “extremely damaging signal” to international business.

Two major business aviation operators and industry bodies said it could prove deeply damaging for foreign direct investment in Ireland.

A letter from Signature Flight Support and Universal Aviation said: “Many of the senior executives from FDI companies operating in Ireland fly in and out on their company's business jet using Dublin Airport, with these flights taking place on a daily basis.

“For busy executives getting to and from overseas operations, the business jet presents a major time-saving and efficient way to do business.”

The records were originally withheld by the DAA and were only released following an appeal under environmental information access laws.

The correspondence from late 2023 shows how the DAA explored options so it would not have to curtail business aviation.

One internal email said its legal and planning team had examined whether certain flights could be excluded from passenger cap calculations.

This would be done by treating its VIP Platinum Service as separate to Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 for scheduled flights.

An email said: “Hence, the proposed local rules [on the cap] could potentially only apply to flights that depart [or] arrive from either T1 or T2.”

In a later letter to the industry groups, DAA chief executive Kenny Jacobs said the DAA was restricted in what it could do.

He wrote: “I note your comments that many senior executives of Foreign Direct Investment companies fly in and out of Ireland on their company's business jet, and the impact the proposal will have on them as well as sporting events and concerts.”

However, he said a proposal to specifically allocate 20,000 passengers from the 32 million cap was outside of the DAA’s control.

Mr Jacobs said: “It could only be effected by the Irish Aviation Authority through its own process, on foot of a proposal adopted by the Slot Coordination Committee of which Dublin Airport is only one of many voting members.”

He said the authority was just about to apply for an increase in the cap to 40 million per year.

He said it was his hope this “would proceed through the planning system expeditiously.”

Asked about the records, the DAA’s deputy director of communications Kevin Cullinane said the records were from a time of “significant operational uncertainty” for the airport.

He said the situation had since changed considerably while the government was drafting legislation to remove the cap.

Mr Cullinane said: “The sustainable growth of Dublin Airport is vital to the Irish economy. The airport already contributes more than €10 billion in gross value added (GVA) and supports or facilitates 116,100 jobs.

“We will continue to work with all parties to remove this historic condition and strengthen Ireland’s global connectivity and economic development.”

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