Dublin Airport is targeting direct routes to South America – specifically Brazil – and the Far East as part of an ambitious expansion of its long-haul route offerings.
Kenny Jacobs, the new chief executive of Daa – the airport operator which runs both Dublin and Cork airports – unveiled the target in an interview with the Irish Independent.
Talking to the newspaper’s aviation correspondent John Mulligan, Mr Jacobs said destinations like Brazil, China and India are being eyeballed, with the Daa having already had exploratory talks with Latin/South American carrier LATAM, which drives most of its custom from the Brazilian market.
“A direct route into China, other places in Asia, India, and South America would be top of my long-haul list,” Mr Jacobs told the Irish Independent, adding that while Dublin Airport will likely be seeing 40 million passengers per year pass through its doors and gates, by 2030, there is currently no need for a third terminal at the airport.
The plan is to expand the existing Terminal 1 complex, which is bar far the oldest of the airport’s two terminals.
Meanwhile, Mr Jacobs also said in the interview that security waiting times for passengers, at Dublin Airport, could be slashed down to as low as 15 minutes. However, he warned that airport charges for airlines would have to be increased to allow for that to happen.
