Rugby and jazz fans boost Cork Airport passenger traffic

A COMBINATION of Irish rugby fans travelling to France for the World Cup and arrivals to the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival significantly boosted passenger traffic at Cork Airport during October.

Figures have shown that more than a quarter of a million passengers passed through the airport last month – a 23% increase on the same month last year.

The figures showed Cork operated 1,856 flights across the course of the month, catering for 253,000 passengers. The busiest destination was London’s Heathrow Airport, the airports busiest day was Friday, October 27 and the vast majority of passengers passed through security checks in under 20-minutes.

Kenny Jacobs, CEO of airport operator daa said people escaping the fickle Irish weather also boosted passenger numbers through Cork’s terminal.

“Cork Airport saw a 23% increase in passenger traffic during October, compared with the same month in 2022,” said Mr Jacobs.

“That’s solid growth and was boosted by thousands from across Munster and south Leinster heading off to the sun, the flood of Irish fans heading off to France for the rugby and the large numbers who came to Cork for the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival over the recent bank holiday weekend,” he added.

Mr Jacobs said Cork Airport’s already extensive network continues to grow, with passengers “reacting well” to recently introduced routes to Barcelona El-Prat and Paris Beauvais.

“I’m sure they will prove to be very popular with passengers from across the south of Ireland as they seek new and exciting destinations for short European city breaks over the winter months,” said Mr Jacobs.

Meanwhile, the busiest day at Dublin Airport was Sunday, October 8 as thousands of elated rugby fans made their way back from Ireland’s victory against Scotland in Paris.

Mr Jacobs said that while the Irish rugby team had ultimately returned home a few weeks earlier than had been hoped, they had still generated “a huge level of excitement” among travelling fans.

“Our terminals at both Dublin and Cork airports were a sea of green jerseys each weekend in the early part of October,” said Mr Jacobs.