Cork Airport records 80% decrease in passenger numbers in 2020

Cork Aiport. File picture: Larry Cummins

Cork Airport recorded an 80% decrease in passenger numbers in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It suffered a decline of around 2 million passengers.

Just 530,000 people used the airport in 2020, with the majority of them (398,000) being in the first quarter of the year.

From 2015 to 2019 passengers at Cork Airport had grown by 25% to 2.6 million.

“2020 has been a year like no other for Cork Airport,” said Niall MacCarthy, Managing Director of Cork Airport.

“We have gone from over fifty routes across eight scheduled airlines to two routes with two airlines. Our story is no different than other airports and other businesses across the world.” Mr MacCarthy said the airport is already working on plans rebuild networks, but he added that it would be a “long journey”.

A graphic highlighting passenger traffic at Cork Airport in the last six years. Picture: Cork Airport

He said: “We are already working on our recovery plans with the support of our parent group daa so that we can rebuild our UK and Continental European networks as soon as possible and reconnect Cork with the world, when it is safe to do so and when the demand is in place.

“In addition, this year, we will progress the largest construction project undertaken at Cork Airport since the new Terminal was built in 2006 with a reconstruction of our main runway and airfield electrical infrastructure which will extend its life and support our business over the next twenty years.

“The team here at Cork Airport welcome the announcement of operational and capital assistance for Cork Airport by the Irish Government to assist our recovery in 2021 and beyond as the vaccine rolls out and travel recovers.

“Ultimately, our vision is that the new network out of Cork in the years ahead is not just the same as the old but, over time, that it is even bigger and better whilst re-growing jobs and connectivity for the whole South of Ireland economy.” 

The airport also confirmed that Heathrow Airport in London was the top destination from Cork last year.

91,000 passengers flew to the London station from Cork.

Stansted, Amsterdam, Gatwick and Lanzarote rounded out the top five destinations.