The High Court in Dublin will make a decision next week regarding a request from several airlines to halt a ruling by the aviation regulator that limits the number of airline slots at Dublin Airport for the upcoming summer season. This decision by the Irish Aviation Authority aims to cap the number of seats on flights arriving and departing from the airport at 25.2 million, a million seats fewer than the previous summer.
The court case involves Ryanair, Aer Lingus, and Airlines For America (A4A), a group representing US-based airlines. They are seeking a stay on the implementation of the IAA’s ruling until a judicial review of the decision can take place. The airlines argue that this restriction would result in significant losses for them, with Ryanair facing a loss of 3,000 slots and 550,000 passenger seats, and Aer Lingus losing 362,000 seats.
The airlines believe that the planning restrictions put in place in 2007, which include a cap of 32 million passengers per year at Dublin Airport, may no longer be relevant or could be softened. They also point out that there is a current planning application that could impact the situation. However, the airport operator, daa, argues that these planning conditions must be upheld, and granting a stay would violate these regulations.
During the court proceedings, it was emphasized that the airlines would face financial losses that they could not recover if the IAA’s decision was implemented without a stay. The airlines believe that losing slots at Dublin Airport would also affect their operations at destination airports, making it crucial to address the issue promptly.
The High Court has granted permission for a judicial review of the IAA’s decision, and a separate case regarding the winter passenger seat cap will be heard in December. The airlines are hopeful that the court will consider their arguments and grant a stay to prevent the implementation of the restrictions until a thorough review can take place. The ruling on this matter is expected to be announced next week, providing clarity on the future of airline slots at Dublin Airport.
