Almost 15 years after the first building permit was granted, Dublin Airport opened its north runway, costing €320 million to build.

Ryanair was the first carrier to use the airport’s second runway on 24 August 2022 with flight B737 Max 200 FR1964 departing for Eindhoven at noon.

The airport said the northern runway would make it easier for larger aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing B747-8 to land and take off, and allow it to add “extra slot capacity” for short-haul flights. Peak periods of departures and arrivals are early morning and late evening.

Planning permission for the track was originally granted in 2007, but the 2008 recession put the project on hold until 2016.

The airport said the new runway was vital to Dublin’s growing position as a travel hub between Europe and North America. This new runway will allow “enhanced connectivity for business and leisure customers with more destinations and airlines at competitive fares”.

A recent decision by Fingal County Council will allow “limited extended use of the new runway during peak evening and early morning hours” as well as replacing a one-night aircraft movement cap.” Noisier aircraft.

Local residents will be offered insulation grants of €20,000 to help mitigate increased noise pollution from the new track. Some believe that this amount is not “enough”.

Commenting on the news, Minister of State for Transport Hildegard Naughton TD said: “The new northern runway will provide much-needed capacity and enable Dublin Airport to rebuild and improve connectivity to our island, putting Ireland in a strong position for economic growth. The new runway is an important piece of infrastructure that will enable Dublin Airport to expand and support existing and growing It also allows for the necessary capacity to connect key global markets.

Basil Geoghegan, chairman of Dublin Airport, said: “We are progressing at pace with our planned investment program which will ensure sustainable investment for future generations, with an upgraded terminal, new piers, gates, posts and transfer facilities following the development of the northern runway. Air passengers to and from Ireland.

For its part, Ryanair, the main carrier operating out of Dublin, has revised its forecasts upwards to 2022. It plans to carry 166.5 million passengers for the current financial year ending March 2022. Ryanair has added a million seats in the UK as British Airways announced capacity cuts this winter. Ryanair carried 97 million passengers in the previous fiscal year and 149 million before the pandemic.

http://www.dublinairport.com/