TRAVEL Dublin Airport enters top 20

DUBLIN Airport is now one Europe’s leading airports for both direct connectivity and hub connectivity, according to a major aviation study.

The capital’s airport has entered the top 20 league rankings for both direct connectivity (20th) and hub connectivity (18th) in the latest ACI Europe Airport Industry Connectivity Report.

The report found that Dublin Airport’s hub connectivity has increased by 286 per cent over the past 10 years, making it one of four new entrants to the best hub connectivity rankings alongside Düsseldorf, Warsaw and Berlin Tegel. Dublin is one of a number of new secondary hubs that have emerged over the past 10 years, according to ACI.

Dublin Airport’s direct connectivity has also increased rapidly over the past 10 years – growing by 23 per cent since 2007 to catapult Dublin into the European top 20 league. It is one of three new entrants to the top 20 alongside Moscow-Sheremetyevo and Palma de Mallorca.

“Air connectivity is essential for the Irish economy, which is one of the most open economies in the world,” said Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison. “By adding new routes and extra flights on existing services, Dublin Airport is facilitating greater trade, tourism and investment for the benefit of the entire island.

“Dublin Airport now has much greater direct and hub connectivity than it had before the global downturn, and we’re continuing to expand. Over the past three years alone Dublin Airport has seen 53 new routes and capacity increases on 84 existing services.”