January was a busy start to the year at Dublin Airport with 2.1 million passengers going through both terminals. The month of January saw 16,800 flights arrive and take off at Dublin Airport, with an average load factor of 78%. Departing passengers enjoyed a smooth experience in the month with 98% passing through security in under 20 minutes.
Commenting on the figures, daa CEO Kenny Jacobs said, “The cold and dreary weather in Ireland during January saw thousands opting to escape to warmer surroundings. For holidaymakers, flights to the Canaries proved popular during the month, while routes to central and eastern Europe were also very busy as thousands headed to ski slopes. The start to 2024 also saw a strong flow of business passengers. January presented some challenging weather conditions, with both freezing temperatures and disruptive storms. I want to thank our snow and ice teams who continue to expertly deal with the vagaries of the winter weather, ensuring passengers can get on their way. The number of passengers through Dublin Airport in January was on a par with 2023 levels. Numbers through Dublin Airport could obviously be higher, but daa continues to manage passenger levels to ensure the airport does not exceed the 32 million cap on the number of passengers who can travel through the airport’s two terminals.”
Meanwhile, at Cork Airport, 183,000 passed through the terminal during the month. Passenger traffic is up 14% versus January 2023, and 2024 is shaping up to be another very busy year. Nine out of 10 flights in the ‘first wave’ of departures (05:45 – 07:30) departed on time from Cork Airport during January which is a testament to the hard work of the operations team.
