Air traffic returned to 1980s' levels last year – IAA

Figures show that Ireland has seen a larger-than-average decline in air traffic numbers compared to the wider European network. Picture: Brian Lawless

Last year saw the lowest level of flights in Irish airspace since the late 1980s, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) confirmed on Friday.

Despite a positive start to the year with strong January and February results, the IAA said the remainder of the year was “devastating” for Irish aviation due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The IAA’s air traffic control division managed fewer than 500,000 flights in 2020, over 670,000 less than in 2019.

This represents a 58% decrease in Irish air traffic over the previous year and is the worst year-on-year decrease for the number of flights recorded travelling through Irish and north-Atlantic airspace.

Dublin Airport suffered the greatest decline, with less than 87,900 terminal movements last year, a 63.2% decrease on 2019 levels, while Cork fared better at 33,298 terminal movements, a decline of 33.1% on the previous year. 

The figures show that Ireland has seen a larger-than-average decline in air traffic numbers compared to the wider European network.

The IAA said this is in large part due to the decline in transatlantic air traffic, of which the IAA handles 90%.

Peter Kearney, chief executive of the Irish Aviation Authority, said he expected recovery would begin later this year.

“We’ve never experienced a year as bad as 2020,” IAA chief executive Peter Kearney commented.

“However, the IAA and the industry played its role in the national effort to contain Covid-19. We must re-double these efforts now, whilst also looking forward to a brighter future for the sector.” 

Mr Kearney said he believed recovery would start later this year: “While the numbers of flights remain very low in January and for the foreseeable future, we are hopeful of a sustained recovery from Q3 onwards.”