Cork Airport in talks to get more routes, hints Ryanair boss

Ryanair DAC CEO Eddie Wilson says the airline is talking to Cork Airport about new charging structures which could lead to more routes

'We’re currently in talks with them [Cork Airport] to come up with a new charging structure and if they come up with a good plan we may well put more routes in next summer. But we’re currently trying to finalise a plan with Cork.' Picture: David Creedon

Cork Airport could get additional routes next summer as it finalises plans with Ryanair, according to the airline’s CEO Eddie Wilson.

Mr Wilson made the comments at and event celebrating Ryanair’s 35th year in business.

“We’re currently in talks with them [Cork Airport] to come up with a new charging structure and if they come up with a good plan we may well put more routes in next summer. But we’re currently trying to finalise a plan with Cork,” said Mr Wilson.

The airline also announced it planned to create 2,000 new jobs in Ireland by 2030 and increase the number of passengers by 10m people per year despite the cost-of-living crisis. Mr Wilson expects most of these travellers to fly from Dublin Airport, instead of other regional ones. 

Mr Wilson said he did not believe this predicted passenger growth would put Dublin Airport under any added pressure like it experienced earlier this year. Mr Wilson said the main cause of the chaos at Dublin Airport was a lack of staff but he is confident Daa has now “fixed” that.

“You’d get tremendous demand at your local Spar if there’s no one at the cash register,” he said.

In previous months, some have called out Dublin Airport’s “monopoly” on Ireland’s aviation industry.

“Regrettably, one of the hallmarks of Dublin Airport’s expansion has been the ruthless pursuit of passenger growth at the expense of other Irish airports and regions,” said Limerick Chamber CEO Dee Ryan.

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said the root of the problem is that Ireland has too many airports for the size of its population.

He joked he “would not like to be a shareholder” in smaller regional airports like the one in Waterford.