Figures released by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) indicate that the amount of traffic safely handled by air traffic control climbed 8.1% in June to 106,076 flights, compared to 98,085 during the same month in 2015. This brings total air traffic handled by the IAA in 2016 past the five hundred thousand mark to 528,043.
Eight of Ireland’s Top ten ‘Airport Pairs’ grew in June. The most significant growth was for London Gatwick – Dublin (+24.6%), London Heathrow – Chicago O’Hare International (+19.2%), Edinburgh – Dublin (+13.5%).
Eamonn Brennan, IAA Chief Executive, said: “This is welcome news as we hit the mid-point of a bumper summer season for Irish aviation. Once again, our air traffic controllers have safely handled record numbers of movements through Irish-controlled airspace. This continued growth points towards sustained development in the international aviation sector, and the ever-growing volume of movements in Irish-controlled airspace re-affirms our strategic importance to the European and US aviation market.”
There was an increase of +10.2% in Ireland’s overflight traffic movements (flights that do not land in Ireland) during June 2016, in comparison to June 2015, as well as a +7.9% increase in North Atlantic Communications flights (Europe/USA flights). There were 33,093 overflight traffic movements and 45,374 North Atlantic Communications flights during June 2016.
Individually, the June 2016 figures for the three State airports, when compared to the same month in the previous year were:
- Commercial terminal flights at Dublin were up by +7.1% with an average of 646 daily movements at Dublin.
- Commercial terminal flights at Cork were up by +19.1%, with an average of 71 daily movements at Cork.
- Commercial terminal flights at Shannon were down by -6.4% with an average of 68 daily movements at Shannon.
