The operator of Dublin Airport is projecting that potential passenger demand per annum will hit 40 million between 2027 and 2031.
The "latest projections" provided by daa is contained in new planning documents associated with the airport operator's plan for a €200m tunnel under the 16/34 runway at Dublin Airport.
The planning documents outline a whole raft of other infrastructural developments at Dublin Airport that will be required to facilitate the airport’s anticipated rapid passenger growth for the remainder of this decade.
During Covid-19, passenger traffic at the airport collapsed to 7.4m in 2020 and recovered to 8.46m last year but was some way off the record numbers of 32.9m in 2019.
Now, anticipating a return to normal growth post pandemic travel restrictions, the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) lodged with the new tunnel plan application outlines the infrastructure projects that will be required.
They include expanding the existing South Apron with new remote stands, taxiways, pre-boarding zone and apron space; extend Pier One on the North Apron to increase passenger capacity and the number of boarding gates.
The EIS also states that the new infrastructure will create a new Apron 7 to create additional aircraft stands; increase space internally at T1 by relocating security to the mezzanine level and internal changes to Pier 3 for pre-cleared US bound passengers.
The new infrastructure will also involve the expansion of a long term car park and a staff car park and also expand the existing multi storey car-parks at T1 and T2 by adding two and three levels respectively.
The Infrastructure Application (IA) is to seek the increase of the passenger cap from 32m to 40m per annum.
The EIS states that "no single item of infrastructure will provide a capacity increase in isolation, rather the combined effect of new infrastructure will provide overall airport capacity".
The planning documents state that the tunnel plan "is a stand alone proposal and is not reliant on future airport growth in order to be released, nor does future airport growth require the proposed development".
The planning documents explain that the objective of the new tunnel is to replace the existing access of the West Apron which is no longer viable with a new means of access which is both efficient in operational terms and robust in safety terms.
The application states that the airport operations are primarily concentrated on the Eastern Campus and access to the West Apron has become more difficult with the new North Runway which became operational last month as the only access route now to the Western Campus or Apron is the northern perimeter road.
"The Irish Aviation Authority requires on safety grounds that an alternative solution be put in place as soon as possible," the documents state.
The application states that once built and operational in 2025, the tunnel will only serve vehicles operating within the airfield.
On the Infrastructure Application (IA), the planning documents state that a full Environmental Impact Statement of the likely environmental effects of an airport operating a 40m passenger per annum with appropriate mitigation will be presented with the IA.
