EU Court confirms Dublin Airport must consider 32-million passenger cap in slot allocations

The Court of Justice of the European Union issued a ruling requiring the Irish Aviation Authority to include the 32 million-passenger ceiling in its methodology for assigning take-off and landing slots at Dublin Airport. The decision arose after airlines contested the IAA’s use of the cap in its winter 2024 slot allocation. While the court mandates respect for the limit, it leaves untouched a recent decision to add 28 additional slots for the following summer season.

Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien is anticipated to increase the cap to 40 million passengers by next April, which will guide the winter 2027/28 slot distribution. Ryanair responded that the judgment highlights the necessity for the government to eliminate the passenger cap altogether. The cap, introduced in 2007, has already been exceeded, with the airport handling 36.4 million passengers in 2025 and likely surpassing that figure this year.