For thousands of west Dublin passengers heading for early morning flights or late night arrivals, the loss of the Airport Hopper has turned what was once a simple €10 bus journey into a far more complicated and expensive trip.
The privately operated service once provided a direct link to Dublin Airport for communities including Clondalkin, Lucan and Tallaght, but its closure more than a year ago has left many travellers relying on taxis or multiple public transport connections.
Sinn Féin TD Mark Ward has now criticised the National Transport Authority and the government for failing to step in and replace the route.
Deputy Ward said communities in those areas have been particularly affected since the service stopped operating, leaving many travellers facing significantly higher costs and longer journeys when trying to reach the airport.
The Airport Hopper previously provided what Ward described as one of the most affordable options for people travelling from those areas to Dublin Airport.
With the service gone, he said passengers are now forced to rely on taxis or multiple public transport connections.
“The Airport Hopper was the most economical way for people in Dublin to get to the airport.
People in Clondalkin, Lucan and Tallaght have been impacted by the decision to close the route. People in these areas have been left without a dedicated service to the airport for over a year,” he said.
According to Ward, the price difference between the former service and current alternatives has been significant for many passengers.
“It cost €10 for a seat on the airport hopper from Clondalkin. It now costs the same person €40-€60 for a taxi to the airport,” he said.
Ward said he raised the issue with the Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien, last year and called on the government and the National Transport Authority to take the route under public control.
“Last year I called on the Minister for Transport, Fianna Fáil TD, Darragh O’Brien, to work with the NTA to make the route public.
“A year later and nothing has changed.
“People are still angry that this service has been taken away and has not been replaced by government.”
Ward argued that the state has the power to intervene when a privately operated transport route ceases to operate.
He said this could be done through a Public Service Obligation arrangement which would allow the route to continue under public management.
“When a privately run service stops, the state can take it over through a Public Service Obligation (PSO) agreement.
“This essentially means that the route would remain but would be operated publicly by the NTA,” he said.
However, in a response he received from the National Transport Authority, Ward said the transport body indicated it does not intend to introduce a Public Service Obligation replacement for the Airport Hopper.
Instead, the authority is planning new services linking Blanchardstown and Clongriffin with the airport.
Ward said that proposal does little to address the gap left by the closure of the Airport Hopper for residents of Dublin Mid West.
“I have received a response to say that the NTA is not considering this PSO. Instead, they will be starting a new service from Blanchardstown and Clongriffin to the airport.
“This is not help to the people of Clondalkin, Lucan and Tallaght,” he said.
The TD also criticised the government’s broader approach to public transport infrastructure in the area, saying local commuters already face unreliable services and overcrowding.
“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have failed to deliver proper public transport infrastructure in for the people of Dublin Mid-West. It is either crowded or does not show up.
“When you are trying to get to the airport in time for a flight, you cannot afford to see buses pass you by,” he said.
Ward said he intends to raise the issue again in the Dáil and will continue pressing the National Transport Authority to reconsider its position.
“I am urging the NTA to revisit taking over the Airport Hopper route. I will be raising this in the Dáil at the first opportunity.”
The Airport Hopper had previously connected several west Dublin suburbs directly with Dublin Airport and was widely used by residents looking for a straightforward and relatively inexpensive way to reach the airport.
Its closure has left a gap in public transport coverage for large residential areas in Dublin Mid West.