Ryanair has criticised plans for the passenger cap at Dublin Airport to stay in place next summer.
In a draft decision, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) proposes to implement a seat capacity limit of 25.2 million seats for the summer of 2025.
It says this would be the second scheduling season in which a seat cap is in effect.
The summer 2025 scheduling season runs from March 30th to October 25th 2025.
An aerial view of Dublin Airport from the perspective of a Boeing 737. Image: Mint Photography / Alamy"The IAA proposes to implement a seat capacity limit of 25.2 million seats for the summer 2025 scheduling season," it says.
"This is in line with the proposal outlined by DAA, the operator of Dublin Airport, during the deliberations of the coordination committee, in which daa also stated that the IAA should have regard to the condition."
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said the plan would see people paying higher prices for seats.
"Today's draft decision by the IAA proports to cut Dublin Airport’s traffic by one million seats in summer 2025," he said.
"This will mean fewer flights and higher fares for Irish families travelling abroad and for visitors coming to Ireland.
"Irish tourism cannot afford to lose one million visitors in summer 2025 simply because Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has failed to act."
'Idiotic traffic cap'
Mr O'Leary said he believes it is time for the the Taoiseach to intervene.
"We now call on An Taoiseach Simon Harris to intervene in this matter and demand that Eamon Ryan issues a Ministerial Direction to the IAA to approve additional slots for Dublin’s airlines this winter and again in summer 2025," he said.
"This will allow the DAA the time and space to use the planning process to scrap this idiotic 2007 traffic cap.
"Even Fingal County Council ignored this 2007 cap when it gave planning permission for the second runway, which was opened just two years ago, and which takes Dublin Airport’s runway capacity to 60 million passengers."
'Anxiety and uncertainty'
In a statement the DAA said it is reviewing the details of the draft decision which "should help Dublin Airport comply with planning in 2025".
"We fully understand the disappointment that will be felt by the airlines already operating at Dublin who want to grow and airlines that want to come here but can’t get slots," it said.
"This will also cause anxiety and uncertainty among the 20,000 people working in aviation jobs across the Dublin Airport campus and the travelling public," it added.
The IAA said it does not have power "to amend or revoke planning conditions, or any decision to enforce or not enforce conditions".
