Latest news with #Daa
Irish Examiner
06-08-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Record passenger numbers through Cork and Dublin airports in July
July saw another passenger record for Dublin and Cork airports. Data from operator DAA shows a 15% rise in passenger numbers through Cork compared to July of last year with 378,000 people travelling through the terminal. Dublin Airport saw a 6.9% rise to 3.75m passengers. At Dublin Airport, every single day in July saw more than 100,000 passengers move through the airport's two terminals, with more than 120,000 passengers landing and taking off on 17 days during the month. Daa said the increase was the result of strong incoming tourist numbers as well as high numbers of Irish residents heading off on summer holidays overseas. The busiest day in the month at Dublin Airport was Sunday, July 27 when 126,620 passengers passed through. Numbers passing through Dublin Airport during the peak summer months of June, July and August are on track to exceed 11 million, with the airport having welcomed a total of 7.3 million passengers in June and July combined. Daa CEO Kenny Jacobs said the large numbers in June and July mean they are revising upwards the expected total passenger number through Dublin for the year. "We now forecast that around 36.2m passengers will have used Dublin Airport by year-end," he said. "Cork's progress shows no sign of abating with the airport's winter schedule already taking shape and passengers are going to love Aer Lingus' recently announced two exciting new routes to Prague and Geneva. KLM's announcement of a third daily service from Cork to Amsterdam from October onwards is great news too. 'With the first phase of the €200m Cork Airport capital development plan due to commence imminently, it was encouraging to see Cork City Council granting planning permission in July for an additional 670 long-term car parking spaces," Mr Jacobs said.
MTV Lebanon
03-07-2025
- MTV Lebanon
Sixteen Dublin flights grounded in air traffic control strikes
Flights between Dublin Airport and several European cities have been cancelled due to a French air traffic control strike. A total of 16 flights have been grounded between Dublin and the French cities of Paris, Biarritz and Nice, as well as Murcia in Spain on Thursday. No flights departing or arriving to Belfast City Airport have been affected so far, the airport has confirmed. Dublin airport has advised passengers flying to or over mainland Europe to check with their airline for updates on the status of their flight. Two French unions are staging the two-day strike over working conditions. Ryanair has said it has cancelled 170 flights due to the strike action across Thursday and Friday, disrupting more than 30,000 passengers. The Irish airline has said the disruption will mostly affect flights over French airspace en route to their destination, including those from Spain to Ireland and the UK to Greece, alongside flights to and from France. Daa spokesperson Graeme McQueen said the flights included eight departures and eight arrivals. "As it stands, no cancellations have been confirmed for flights in and out of Cork Airport today," he said. The disruption comes at the start of the European summer holiday season – one of the busiest travel periods of the year. 'Urgent action' needed France's civil aviation authority, DGAC, has asked airlines to reduce flight schedules at several airports across the country. Ryanair has criticised France for not protecting aircrafts flying over French airspace when national air traffic control strikes are taking place. The airline has called on the head of European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to take "urgent action", requesting air traffic control services to be "fully staffed" for the first wave of daily departures and for flights going through French airspace to be protected during national strikes. Chief executive of the airline Michael O'Leary said the disruption is "abundantly unfair" on passengers and families booked to go on holiday. "Once again European families are held to ransom by French Air Traffic Controllers going on strike. It is not acceptable that overflights over French airspace en route to their destination are being cancelled/delayed as a result of yet another French ATC strike", he added.
Irish Examiner
03-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
European families 'held to ransom' by French air traffic control strike, Ryanair says
The Daa and Ryanair have hit out at 'unfair' and 'unnecessary' impacts on passengers during the busy summer holiday season, after air traffic control strikes in France curtailed flights on Thursday, with more cancellations set to follow on Friday. In Dublin Airport, 16 flights in and out of the hub were cancelled, while Ryanair said it cancelled 170 flights across the continent over the industrial action. Affected flights in Dublin included services to and from Paris, Biarritz, Nice, and Murcia in Spain. Passengers who were due to fly over mainland Europe were advised to check with their airline for updates on the status of their flight. 'It is regrettable that their journeys — including many families' hard-earned summer holidays — are being impacted by this action,' Daa said. 'Daa encourages the European Union and member states to look at reforms which would reduce the unfair and unnecessary impact of these disruptions on passengers from other countries.' Ryanair, meanwhile, called on European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to take action to reform EU air traffic control services. It said the two-day strike, affecting all flights over French airspace, was impacting 30,000 passengers, with most not even flying to or from France. 'Once again, European families are held to ransom by French air traffic controllers going on strike,' its chief Michael O'Leary said, accusing the air traffic controllers of engaging in 'recreational strikes'. It is not acceptable that overflights over French airspace en route to their destination are being cancelled/delayed as a result of yet another French ATC strike. It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays. He said Ms von der Leyen must act to ensure air traffic control services are fully staffed for the first wave of daily departures, while overflights are protected during strikes. Mr O'Leary added: 'These two splendid reforms would eliminate 90% of all ATC delays and cancellations.' Aer Lingus, meanwhile, said all impacted customers had been contacted directly and re-accommodated on alternative flights, or offered other options. France's second largest air traffic controllers' union, UNSA-ICNA, said its members were striking over persistent understaffing, outdated equipment and a toxic management culture. "The [French civil aviaition agency] is failing to modernise the tools that are essential to air traffic controllers, even though it continues to promise that all necessary resources are being made available," the union said in a statement. "The systems are on their last legs, and the agency is constantly asking more of its staff to compensate for its difficulties." Separately, Ryanair will now allow slightly more space for the free bag you can bring onboard and place under your seat, increasing it by an extra two inches along one side — probably enough for a few extra tee-shirts on your summer trip.
RTÉ News
05-06-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Passengers seek more seating, food as daa expects record numbers
Around 120,000 passengers per day are expected to travel through Dublin Airport this summer. Operator daa said that it predicts it will be a record-breaking summer for the airport with 10 million people set to pass through the airport from June to August. More than 2,600 flights, operating by 43 different airlines, will depart from Dublin. Recent feedback showed that passengers wanted more seating, food and drink choices along with a cleaner airport. Officials said these issues have been addressed and improvements have been made for the busy holiday season. Security and Parking The aim is to get people through security in under 20 minutes. However, there are different rules for different terminals when it comes to whether liquids and technology stay in bags during screening. In T2, passengers can keep the tech in their luggage, but will have to take liquids out for scanning at security. Both tech and liquids will also have to be taken out in T1. Daa CEO Kenny Jacobs said he is confident that "we're very, very close to a new ruling by the EU that liquids can stay in the bags". For those who are driving to Dublin Airport, the advice is to book in advance due to demand. Extra parking spaces made available by a private company have been welcomed. Director of Communications with daa Sarah Ryan said it is "great news" that the Quick Park car park has reopened. "That's not operated by Dublin Airport but it is available so that does bring some extra capacity," she said. Changes to terminals There will be three new children entertainment areas at terminal one and two which brings the total number to five. Twenty-three new water refill stations have been introduced and an additional 1,000 seats installed. Security staff numbers have also increased by more than 1,000. A new Dublin Airport app has also been launched which features real-time flight updates for arrivals and departures, security wait times, and details about gate numbers and check-in areas. US pre-clearance Mr Jacobs said that the advice has not changed for US pre-clearance and passengers should arrive three hours before their transatlantic flights. The airport has seen an increase in Europeans choosing to come through Dublin when flying to the United States, he said. Mr Jacobs warned that it may be a short journey for passengers if they are denied entry to the US due to stricter border vetting.
Irish Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
More than 150 staff at airport operator Daa earned over €150,000 last year
A total of 152 staff at the State-owned airport operator Daa earned above €150,000 each last year, figures show. Official figures also reveal the chief executive at the group, which runs Dublin and Cork airports and other subsidiaries, is not the organisation's highest-paid staff member in 2024. Last year one unnamed person had total remuneration of between €475,000 and €500,000. The company's chief executive Kenny Jacobs received a total package of €374,830. In a statement, Daa said it was a commercial business that received no public funding. It said it had to compete internationally for key personnel. READ MORE Eamon Ryan , then minister for transport, set out remuneration levels for the top earners at Daa in an appendix to a submission sent last summer to a government-appointed pay review for chief executives of commercial state companies. Mr Ryan's submission, which has been released by the Department of Transport , were based on figures for 2023. Those figures showed three staff were paid more than the chief executive, who that year received total remuneration of €347,457. The three were paid between €350,000 and €375,000. The document showed 137 personnel received total remuneration of more than €150,000 each in 2023. Mr Ryan's submission to the senior posts remuneration committee said that 3,864 personnel at Daa group earned less than €50,000, although this included part-time staff. He said remuneration for CEOs varied across international competitors in the aviation sector. Mr Ryan noted the head of Fraport, which runs Frankfurt Airport and has contracts at 30 others worldwide, had a total package of €1.65 million while the head of Aena, the state company that manages 46 airports in Spain, was paid €186,575 in 2023. Daa's annual report for 2024 showed 152 people received €150,000 or more last year. In addition, 88 employees were paid between €125,000 and €150,000, while 187 earned between €100,000 and €125,000. The company said: 'The State does not fund the remuneration of Daa staff, as Daa operates as a commercial business and receives no public funding. 'Aviation is a global industry and Daa competes for talent against other international airports and aviation businesses, as well as international retailers. 'Daa is a multinational commercial enterprise with operations in 14 countries across four continents, with several CEOs and management teams.' The annual report said Mr Jacobs received total remuneration of €374,830 last year – up from €347,457 the previous year. It said this figure included basic salary of €284,235 and pension contributions and other taxable benefits of €90,595 . It said Mr Jacobs did not receive a director's fee. Last month the Cabinet accepted many of the recommendations of the senior post remuneration committee. Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said the upper limit on any proposed package would be the market rate . However, there would be no backdating of any increases to May 1st of last year, another committee recommendation, and no reintroduction of performance-related bonuses worth up to 25 per cent of salaries, which was also proposed.
