Airlines are in talks to launch new routes from Cork Airport next year as it growth overtakes Dublin and Shannon, according to Kenny Jacobs, chief executive of State company DAA.
Cork reached two million passengers for the year earlier this month, the fastest time it has reached that milestone, Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures show.
Mr Jacobs confirmed on Thursday that DAA, which runs the airport, was in talks with airlines about the likely launch of new routes next year, prompted by Cork’s recent decision to cut charges to lure more business.
“New routes and new airlines are on the horizon for Cork,” he said.
Mr Jacobs pointed out that there were several European cities not served from Cork, including Barcelona, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Madrid and Warsaw.
“Cork should have year-round connectivity with those cities,” he added.
Aer Lingus and Ryanair will continue to play key roles at the airport, he pointed out. Ryanair this week confirmed that it would extend its summer flights from Cork to Brussels to a year-round service.
Rival Aer Lingus Regional recently announced that it would add flights to Glasgow from this winter and boost the number of trips on its existing Bristol route.
New routes are likely to be short-haul, but Mr Jacobs said that DAA was prepared to discuss long-haul services with airlines.
Cork should handle around 3.1 million passengers this year while business is up 11 per cent so far in 2024, according to DAA calculations, making it the Republic’s fastest-growing State airport, ahead of Dublin and Shannon.
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Last year it was November before it broke the two million mark, Mr Jacobs noted. He added there was nothing to stop Cork reaching four million in 2025.
DAA announced in July that it would cut passenger charges levied on airlines at Cork to encourage carriers to launch more services from there.
A planning restriction has limited Dublin to 32 million passengers a-year, opening opportunities for other airports.
Meanwhile, DAA is continuing pre-planning talks with Cork City Council on its proposal to expand the airport’s facilities to allow it handle five million travellers annually.
Work will involve adding a mezzanine floor to its terminal, converting a service building to add more stands and demolishing the old, now unused, terminal building, to allow further room for extra stands and gates.
Meetings with council planners are “going well” according to Mr Jacobs. “Everybody in Cork, the city council, local communities and politicians, is very supportive,” he said.
The State company could seek planning permission for the work in 2025.
DAA flagged plans to grow Cork earlier this year. The combined city and county population is heading for one million, meaning infrastructure such as the airport will have to grow to cater for this.
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