The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), a US-based organisation that represents more than 11,000 member companies and professionals across the U.S. and internationally has written to the US Embassy in Dublin expressing concern over a policy that would effectively close Dublin Airport for all business aviation flights in 2024.
The NBAA, supported by the Irish Business & General Aviation Association (IBGAA), have said the policy would damage U.S. investment in Ireland as well as the existing US-Ireland economic relationship. Dublin Airport has an annual passenger limit of 32 million passengers. It is set to exceed this limit in 2024. As a result, the DAA is proposing to suspend all ad hoc general aviation flights. Ad hoc general aviation flights refer to non-scheduled flights and include business aviation flights.
The letter, written by NBAA CEO & President Ed Bolen said: “In essence, this action by the DAA will result in no business aviation flights being allowed to fly in or out of Dublin Airport until planning is secured to increase passenger capacity. On average it takes two years for a planning decision such as this to be reached meaning it is likely that the limit will be breached well before planning is granted. As such, the DAA is proposing an effective ban on all business flights in and out of Dublin Airport.”
To mitigate this negative impact, the NBAA and the IGBAA have proposed that, should the 40 million passenger cap not be introduced in 2024, 20,000 passengers out of the current 32 million be allocated for business aviation. This represents a mere 0.0625% of the passenger limit, maintaining access to Ireland and the Dublin area for business aviation, which brings substantial economic and commercial benefits while still adhering to the 32 million cap.
The full letter is available to read here.
