Transfer passenger numbers are growing rapidly at Dublin Airport for the third year in succession, according to the airport’s Managing Director Vincent Harrison.
“Dublin Airport has welcomed about 670,000 transfer passengers already this year, which is a 24% increase on the same period in 2014,” Harrison said.
Speaking exclusively to Routesonline in Durban, South Africa ahead of the formal opening of World Routes, Harrison said that Dublin would record another record year for transfer traffic in 2015. “Last year our total number of transfer passengers at Dublin was just under 750,000 and if current trends continue, we’ll welcome well over 900,000 transfer passengers this year.”
Dublin Airport’s significant growth in transatlantic connectivity has been a major factor in the growing number of passengers who are choosing to ‘hub at DUB’ according to Harrison. Between 2010 and 2014, Dublin Airport’s transatlantic traffic has grown by 42 per cent.
“Dublin’s Airport transatlantic passenger numbers increased by 14% to a record 2.1 million last year and we’re seeing very strong double digit growth again in 2015. The significant additional transatlantic capacity that our airline customers have added into the market has all been sold, and that’s hugely positive for them and for us,” he said.
“The major expansion in North American flights in recent years meant that this summer, Dublin Airport was Europe’s sixth largest airport for transatlantic connectivity. Only the very large hubs of Heathrow, Schiphol, Paris CDG, Madrid and Frankfurt had more flights to the United States and Canada than Dublin this summer,” he added.
Dublin benefits from the fact that it is the only major airport in Europe that has US pre-clearance facilities, and geography also works it its favour, according to Harrison.
“Dublin’s position on the western edge of Europe means we are the perfect place for connecting European traffic with transatlantic services. We have more than 1,000 flights per week to continental Europe, almost 800 flights per week to Britain and 163 flights per week to North America,” he said.
Dublin Airport has also been actively promoting its transfer product this year, having visited 11 UK cities to promote the benefits of transferring in Dublin. in partnership with its airline customers.
“Using Dublin to connect is faster, more efficient and more pleasant than connecting via a continental European airport or a large British airport,” Harrison said. “We offer US pre-clearance, free and fast Wi-Fi, and free smartphone assistance via DUB HUB that guides you seamlessly to your gate.”
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