The struggle for parking at Dublin Airport seen last summer looks set to continue this year, a travel expert has said.
Spaces are booking up faster than usual with some days in June, July and August already close to selling out.
Dublin Airport has around 23,000 car parking spaces at its campus but it is not enough to keep up with demand.
It comes after the airport was blocked from buying the nearby former QuickPark facility by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
Airport operator DAA has said it will not appeal the decision but has called on the owners of the site and any other potential bidders to "act speedily".
Travel Extra editor Eoghan Corry told The Pat Kenny Show this year will be busier than last year.
"There's no extra capacity available," he said.
"We got through last summer, it was on a wing and a prayer, a lot of the key weekends were all booked out well in advance.
"All the incentives for lower-cost car parking were withdrawn by Dublin Airport.
"We're probably looking at a slightly busier summer... it's quite clear at this stage, we've only a few weeks to go, QuickPark will not be available for commuters through Dublin Airport this summer".
'It's complicated'
Eoghan said there are bidders interested in the QuickPark operation but it's a complicated transaction.
"There's also the price consideration because it's a little bit more complicated than a sale by a private bidder," he said.
"It's been through the NAMA process.
"All of that is conspiring to make life a little bit more difficult for people coming to Dublin Airport this summer".
Passengers in Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport. Image: Sheila Naughton/NewstalkEoghan said QuickPark would be able to offer some short-term relief.
"I don't think we're going to change the mindset of the Competition Authority," he said.
"It would be nice if somebody moved in and said, 'Can we have a temporary waiver on this?'
"The QuickPark is in really good condition... it could be up and running with a week if somebody says, 'Let's do this short-term and work out the long-term implications for competition in the future'".
'Supply-demand'
Eoghan said carpark price competition is more common in North America than in Europe, but it's not competition dicating price at the moment.
"The international pattern is it's not competition that decides how much you pay in a carpark it's actually the supply-demand situation," he said.
"We got through last summer without a crisis; I would expect us to get through this summer without a crisis because the growth in passenger numbers is not going to be double-digit."
Eoghan said more bus services have turned Dublin Airport into a "bus hub" with a number of private operators.
Anyone heading away this bank holiday weekend is being told while parking options are still currently available certain days are expected to sell out.
