Dublin Airport passenger traffic returns to 1994 levels in 2020

IRELAND. Passenger traffic at Dublin Airport declined by -78% to under 7.4 million last year due to the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The last time that Dublin Airport had fewer than 8 million passengers in a calendar year was in 1994.

More than half of those who travelled through Dublin Airport in 2020 did so in January and February. Between March and the end of December, passenger numbers fell by -89% to 3.3 million.

Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport have fallen further since the end of the year, with January volumes down by -90%. Daily passenger traffic is currently down by up to -98% compared to the same period in 2020.

After a dire 2020, passenger traffic at Dublin Airport has fallen even further in early 2021 due to strict rules on overseas travel

“Aviation was one of the sectors of the Irish economy that was hardest hit by COVID-19, and this is reflected in the passenger numbers for last year,” said Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison. “It was a hugely challenging year for Dublin Airport and for the entire Irish aviation sector, as the reduction in air travel and the introduction of travel restrictions in most markets had a very significant impact on passenger numbers during the year.”

In 2019, Dublin Airport had flights to more than 190 destinations in 42 countries operated by almost 50 airlines. In April 2020, Dublin Airport had flights to just 22 destinations in 11 countries operated by seven airlines.

“Aviation plays a vital role in Ireland’s economy, and it will be a key sector in helping that economy to recover in the wake of the pandemic,” said Harrison.

Flights to and from Irish airports fell by 63% in 2020, making Ireland the fifth worst affected country among the 41 member states within the Eurocontrol group. Only Armenia, Moldova, Morocco, Israel, and Georgia had larger air traffic declines than Ireland.

DAA, which operates Dublin and Cork airports, has cut around 25% of staff, with travel retail division ARI implementing cuts on a similar scale.

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