Progress on €200m Cork Airport development plan flying along

The €200m capital development plan for Cork Airport is progressing on time and on budget, with the new mezzanine floor and passenger security screening area on track for a December 2026 opening.

Minister for transport Darragh O’Brien and minister of state at the department of transport Jerry Buttimer received a detailed briefing on the various elements of the multi-million euro project during a visit to Cork airport on Wednesday.

The Cork Airport plan incorporates the construction of a new mezzanine floor with a state of the art passenger security screening area, a new and larger duty free shop, and a new and larger executive lounge.

It also includes the construction of additional boarding gates, a new solar farm, and the extension of existing car parks.

Further down the line there also are plans for the demolition of the old terminal and old control tower, to be replaced by a new pier with additional boarding gates and aircraft parking stands.

Expansion

One of the main objectives of the plan is to cater for the expansion of passenger numbers at the airport over the next number of years, and to cater for five million passengers per annum.

Minister O’Brien said he was pleased by the progress being made on the airport project: “I am heartened to see that DAA’s capital programme is proceeding at pace and demonstrating on time, on budget delivery. 

"Once completed, this development programme will deliver efficiencies along with a better passenger experience for all those who will travel through the airport.”

Managing director at Cork Airport, Niall MacCarthy, said the airport experienced its highest ever passenger numbers last year, and was named best regional airport in Europe by ACI Europe.

“Our capital programme, once complete, will put in the infrastructure to handle five million passengers and beyond,” Mr MacCarthy said.

 “We are proud of delivering quality infrastructure projects, on time and on budget, and compliment our construction partners and team.”