Cork Airport expecting Christmas rush with planned reopening this Monday 

Week beginning December 13 expected to be busiest as people begin returning home for Christmas

Initially, four airlines will operate routes from the airport, including Ryanair and Aer Lingus. Picture: Jim Coughlan

The managing director of Cork Airport has said the planned re-opening of the airport this Monday will see flights return to 80% of 2019 levels ahead of the Christmas rush.

Niall MacCarthy said the airport is well-placed to bounce back after the aviation sector was decimated due to the pandemic, and he isn’t too worried about Covid-19 potentially doing even more harm in the event of further restrictions.

“In aviation, you learn to deal with crises,” he said. “There are things you can control. We can control the runway, we can control getting the airlines back.

“I wouldn’t be talking up the Covid situation. It’s a long way to go but there’s huge pent-up demand for travel. After these two years, Irish people won’t want to stay at home next year.” 

Cork Airport shut in early September to facilitate a complete rebuild of its main runway. The airport had published a video showing cracks in the existing runway which necessitated the works.

Cork Airport shut in early September to facilitate a complete rebuild of its main runway. The airport had published a video showing cracks in the existing runway which necessitated the works. Picture: Larry Cummins

Officials said the rebuild would take 10 weeks to complete, and the airport will re-open again on schedule on November 22. The work on the runway comes as part of a €40m investment in Cork Airport.

Initially, four airlines will operate routes from the airport, including Ryanair and Aer Lingus.

Ryanair announced last month it would reopen its Cork Airport base and restore 20 routes to the UK and Europe.

Mr MacCarthy said it was expected to be a quiet start before passenger numbers ramp up in December.

“We will have 20,000 seats in the week commencing 22 November,” he said. “Then 30,000 in the week commencing 29 November, 35,000 in the week commencing 6 December and 38,000 seats in the week commencing 13 December.” 

He said he expected the week beginning December 13 to be busiest as people begin returning home for Christmas.

The Cork Airport boss said the airport was looking to boost recovery further next year, with over 35 routes during the summer season.

He said under their projections, traffic in 2022 will recover to 70% of 2019 levels provided there are no further lockdowns next year.

Airport managers had faced criticism about the timing of the works, but Mr MacCarthy said it was “100%” the opportune moment for the runway rebuild.

“Kids are in school, and very few people go on holiday in these months,” he said. “It was the right time to do it and puts us in the position to bounce back next year.”