Over 17m passengers pass through Dublin and Cork airports in six months

Kenneth Fox

A total of 17.1 million passengers passed through Dublin and Cork airports in the first six months of 2023, according to the operator of the airports, Daa.

The figures represent a strong recovery, increasing from 13 million in the same period last year.

The total group turnover for the six months of 2023 was €458.8 million, an increase of 55 per cent.

Improved passenger numbers in the first six months of 2023 versus 2022 contributed to a 57 per cent increase in domestic revenue to €337.1 million.

Aeronautical revenue increased by 102 per cent to €130.3 million and non-aeronautical revenue increased by 38 per cent to €206.8 million.

The increase in aeronautical revenue was driven by increased passenger numbers through both Dublin and Cork airports during the first six months of the year.

The increase in non-aeronautical revenue was driven by strong food and beverage sales, retail sales, improved concessionaire revenues and high demand for car parking and lounge facilities given the rebound in post-pandemic international travel from Ireland.

Daa’s total operating costs for the period January to June were €252.6 million, representing an increase of 28 per cent on the same period in 2022 primarily driven by the resumption of normal airport operations post-Covid.

Commenting on the first half of the year financial results, Daa chief executive Kenny Jacobs said: "Dublin Airport facilitated more than 15.8 million passengers in the first 6 months of 2023, an increase of 32 per cent compared to the same period in 2022.

"Forty-six scheduled passenger airlines, including two new airlines operated at Dublin Airport during the first half of 2023 flying to over 190 destinations.

"There were significant improvements to the overall passenger experience at Dublin Airport in the first half of the year compared to last year and passenger satisfaction ratings are now back to the standards that we routinely delivered pre-Covid.

"Security queue times at Dublin Airport have improved month on month with 92.1 per cent of passengers getting through security in less than 20 minutes between January and June this year."