EasyJet has successfully acquired take-off and landing slots for Dublin Airport during the upcoming winter season, as reported by Airport Co-ordination Limited (ACL), which manages slot usage for 72 airports globally. This move marks the airline’s first attempt to establish services from the Irish capital. However, while EasyJet has secured these slots, there is no guarantee that they will be utilized. A spokesperson for the airline stated, “Like all airlines, we are constantly evaluating our network for future opportunities.”
In 2004, EasyJet introduced routes from Shannon, Cork, and Knock to Gatwick but only operated in the Irish market for approximately 18 months. Ryanair group CEO Michael O’Leary predicted that EasyJet would follow a similar path to other carriers that initially entered the Irish market but eventually withdrew. Previous battle casualties with Ryanair include UK low-cost carrier Go, an independent subsidiary of British Airways, which was forced to discontinue its Dublin-Edinburgh route within just four months due to aggressive pricing tactics employed by Ryanair.
The latest ACL report reveals that EasyJet’s Austria-based subsidiary, EasyJet Europe, has secured a total of 88 take-off and landing slots for Dublin Airport from the end of October to the end of March next year. The report further indicates that EasyJet plans to utilize four slots per week during this period, equating to nearly 16,400 seats. Hainan, a Chinese carrier, also intends to resume its service from Dublin to Beijing this winter.
ACL figures project Dublin Airport to offer approximately 18.4 million seats throughout the winter season. Aer Lingus, an IAG group member along with British Airways, Iberia, and Vueling, will make roughly five million seats available from the capital. This represents a decrease of around 7.2% compared to last winter. Ryanair, on the other hand, will provide just over 8.7 million seats, with a 12.7% increase in slots.
Leading the pack after Aer Lingus and Ryanair, Emerald Airlines, operated by Conor McCarthy, will serve as the next major carrier from Dublin during the winter season. Emerald Airlines operates the Aer Lingus Regional service, offering routes between Ireland and Britain, as well as a summer service to France.
Dublin Airport, which falls under the semi-state DAA’s control, responsible for Cork Airport as well, is expected to accommodate 31.1 million passengers in the current year.
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