Irish travellers are undeterred by climate scares and rising temperatures, as Dublin Airport records the highest-ever number of people flying.
That's according to travel expert Michelle Walsh Jackson, who was speaking to Late Breakfast about Irish tourists' determination to travel.
This summer, red alerts were put in place in countries like Spain, Greece and Italy, with temperatures reaching 48 degrees Celsius.
Despite this, on July 30th, DAA said more than 120,500 passengers travelled through Dublin Airport –the highest number ever recorded in a single day.
More than 100,000 passed through every day last month, according to DAA.
Ms Walsh Jackson said the appetite to travel is "bigger than ever" in Ireland.
"People are just very, very hungry to have some sunshine, to relax, to see a different country," she said.
'Scaremongering'
Ms Walsh Jackson said that crises of extreme heat, as was seen in the Rhodes wildfires in Greece, are happening in "isolated places".
"What happened in Rhodes was horrific – it was horrible for the people involved, and very, very sad for the environment," she said.
"I have to say an awful lot of people weren't affected at all.
"It's like when we had the Troubles in Northern Ireland – it didn't really affect us as much down south, but Americans might have been afraid to travel here.
"I think there's an awful lot of scaremongering going on."
Popular destinations
Irish people are travelling to Spain the most, as per tradition, according to Ms Walsh Jackson.
"We're back to almost over 2 million people travelling to Spain this year," she said.
"Portugal's another big hitter, France is hugely popular for families, and also for people who want to bring their pets."
Ms Walsh Jackson said nervous travellers should contact travel agents, The Irish Travellers Association or the Department of Foreign Affairs.
"Find out if you are advised to travel to a place or not, whatever the conditions or the circumstances," she said.
Aviation
Ms Walsh Jackson said tourists should not be preoccupied with the impact of aviation emissions when compared with "other environmental factors created around the world".
"If you look at all the coal fields in other parts of the world, then compare them with the emissions from aircraft, – you need to look at the facts, look at statistics, look at the facts," she said.
"See how much that is contributing compared to other environmental factors created around the world."
Statistics
According to a report by the European Commission, the amount of fuel burned per passenger dropped by 24% between 2005 and 2017.
However, these environmental benefits have been outpaced by sustained growth in air traffic, with passengers in 2017 flying on average 60% further than in 2005.
The report said if global aviation were a country, it would rank in the top 10 emitters.
A passenger flying from Lisbon to New York and back generates roughly the same level of emissions as the average person in the EU does by heating their home for a whole year.
