Dublin and Cork airports to cut a potential 1,000 jobs

State company DAA warns of decline in passenger and ‘significantly fewer employees’

Combined passenger numbers at Dublin and Cork airports are likely to collapse by more than 40 per cent to 21 million from a total of 35.5 million in 2019. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Combined passenger numbers at Dublin and Cork airports are likely to collapse by more than 40 per cent to 21 million from a total of 35.5 million in 2019. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

State company DAA is seeking to cut a potential 1,000 jobs at Dublin and Cork airports as it grapples with ongoing fallout from the Covid-19 crisis.

Dalton Philips, chief executive of the company, which runs both airports, told workers on Tuesday that it needs to reduce the number of frontline employees to reflect a dramatic fall in air travellers.

Combined passenger numbers at Dublin and Cork airports are likely to collapse by more than 40 per cent to 21 million from a total of 35.5 million in 2019.

Mr Philips told staff in a letter that the last time the two airports handled 21 million passengers, they had between 750 and 1,000 fewer staff.

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However, his letter does not say that the company was seeking to cut its 3,500-strong workforce by that number.

It states that DAA will give staff details of a proposed voluntary redundancy scheme next week.

“This economic crisis is serious, and we need to take action quickly, but we will work collaboratively with you and staff representatives to achieve the necessary cost savings,” Mr Philips’ letter says.

“This inevitably will involve a substantial re-sizing of our business, new ways of working and significantly fewer employees. It is likely that reductions in staffing will have to apply throughout the business.”

Barry O'Halloran

Barry O'Halloran

Barry O’Halloran covers energy, construction, insolvency, and gaming and betting, among other areas