The Irish government has confirmed that it secured Cabinet approval to draft a bill to remove the 32 million per year passenger cap at Dublin Airport (DUB), which has not only frustrated the ever-outspoken Ryanair but also United States-based airlines.
Moving forward with legislation to remove the cap
In a statement on February 10, 2026, the Irish Department of Transportation said that Darragh O’Brien, the Minister for Transport of Ireland, secured “agreement from Cabinet for priority drafting of the Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026.”
The bill will provide O’Brien “with the power” to remove the current passenger cap in place at DUB, which limits the airport to welcoming up to 32 million passengers per year. In 2025, DUB’s passenger numbers went up by 5.1% year-on-year (YoY) to 36.4 million, after the Irish courts issued a stay ruling when Aer Lingus, Airlines for America (A4A), and Ryanair sued the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA).
O’Brien said that the current Irish government, which is being pressured by Ryanair and A4A, a US airline industry lobby group, recognizes the strategic importance of DUB.
“Today, I received Government agreement for the publication of the General Scheme, which sets out the legislative approach to address the passenger cap.”
This is the first concrete step toward removing the cap, O’Brien added. In addition to the legislative effort, daa, the company that manages DUB and Cork Airport (ORK), is progressing with an application to build “new piers and aircraft stands, along with a new Integrated Transport Centre,” which will improve the airport’s capacity.
Future-proofing DUB
In its statement following the country’s Department of Transportation’s announcement, daa said that it welcomes the government’s “decisive action,” which will resolve the cap issue “once and for all.”
“We know there is significant unmet demand for connectivity between Ireland and South America, India, and other fast-growing destinations from passengers and businesses.”
According to the daa, which is a semi-state company, it continues to work with planning authorities and other stakeholders to move forward with its €2 billion ($2.3 billion) infrastructure plan that will improve DUB’s capacity and facilities.
“Dublin Airport is Ireland’s only hub airport and a national strategic asset. daa looks forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders as the legislation and planning processes progress in the national interest.”
St. Patrick’s Day deadline
Ryanair was less positive about the development. In a statement on February 10, the low-cost carrier urged the Irish government, headed by Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Micheál Martin, to scrap the cap before St. Patrick’s Day, when Martin is set to visit the US and the Trump administration.
“This would allow American airlines, and Ryanair, to continue to invest in and grow routes, traffic, jobs and tourism at Dublin Airport.”
Michael O’Leary, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ryanair, added that despite a majority in the Dáil Éireann, Ireland’s lower house of its parliament, Martin “has wasted 14 months doing nothing, and it is time to scrap the cap before St Patrick’s Day.”
“Ryanair, like the American airlines, are fed up with Micheál Martin’s do nothing approach to Govt.”
Aer Lingus versus US airlines
O’Leary referred to the complaint that A4A filed before the Department of Transportation (DOT). The US airline lobby group, which includes carriers such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, United Airlines, and others, alleged that the Irish government is violating the European Union’s (EU) slot regulations by imposing a cap that limits US carriers’ existing or potential services.
A4A asked the DOT that, if the Irish government does not take action, it should convene a meeting that includes the Irish government and the European Commission (EC), and/or curtail or suspend Irish airlines’ flights to the US.
Aer Lingus, which would be significantly affected by an order to limit or suspend services to the US, responded to A4A, saying it opposes the cap at DUB. Furthermore, the Irish carrier is “at the forefront of the broad and multifaceted concurrent efforts through administrative, judicial, and legislative channels to prevent” the cap from harming US airlines, including a joint lawsuit with A4A, it added.
Aer Lingus, A4A, and Ryanair, which together sued the IAA, secured a stay of the passenger cap, with the Irish High Court referring some questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
As a result, the IAA allocated capacity at DUB without considering the cap, allowing the airport to welcome more than 32 million passengers per year in 2024 and 2025.
Rytis Beresnevicius
