More than 126,000 passengers are expected to go through Dublin Airport today, which would make it the busiest day ever in the establishment’s 85-year history.
The previous busiest day came last August when 124,600 passengers passed through the airport in a single day.
The record is likely to be broken again soon, as numbers are expected to increase during the peak of the summer tourism season.
Spokesperson for Dublin Airport Graeme McQueen told The Anton Savage Show that operations are currently moving smoothly despite the heavy foot traffic.
“Obviously, you’ve got to stagger those numbers of passengers over the course of the day,” he said.
“We’re only in May at the moment; summer is going to be even busier.
“We will do days this summer between 130,000 and 140,000, which is new territory for us.
“But it shows the demand that’s there to fly in and out of Dublin.”
Photo: Damien Storan/PA © PA Archive/PA ImagesMr McQueen said the UK’s current bank holiday weekend is likely contributing to the figures.
“We do poll passengers that are going through to find out where they’re going, but a significant number will be coming here to spend money, which is great for the pubs and the hotels all around the country,” he said.
“You will have some as well who are connecting to other places; Dublin is a big hub now.
“It’s in the top five in Europe for transatlantic connectivity, so that really creates viability for good routes.”
According to Mr McQueen, the airport will “end up north of 36 million passengers this year”, exceeding the current passenger cap of 32 million.
He said “once the cap is gone” the airport could reach up to 60 million passengers, with additional infrastructure.
Main image: Passengers carrying luggage at Dublin Airport, © PA Archive/PA Images
