Dublin Airport looks set to break rules its passenger cap this year.
It's only allowed a maximum of 32 million passengers a year but it's estimating the final tally will be closer to 33 million.
It's unclear how Fingal County Council will respond to the breach, and whether a penalty will be imposed.
DAA Chief Executive Kenny Jacobs, says they've done everything to follow the rules, but the airport has had record numbers of passengers this summer.
"We're caught between a rock and a hard place.
"We're a commercial business. We want to grow, but we also want to comply with planning as any business needs to, and should.
"I think at this stage now, the cap at Dublin Airport - it's not an aviation issue, It's not a transportation issue - this is an Ireland issue because this is really going to cost jobs.
"The passenger cap is 16 years old.
"It's out of date because it's driven really by traffic congestion, that no longer exists coming to Dublin Airport.
"But planning in Ireland is slow. We need more joined up thinking [around infrastructure] across the country".
Passengers queueing at Aer Lingus check-in desks Dublin Airport, 2-7-24. Image: Sasko Lazarov/© RollingNews.ieThe airport says August was its busiest month in its 84 year history with 3.46 million passengers passing through the terminal doors.
The DAA says the week of August 12 was the busiest week ever, with 829,000 passengers. Sunday August 18 was the busiest day ever, with 124,600 passengers going through the airport’s two terminals.
Some Might Say we had a Supersonic August at Dublin Airport as we said Hey Now to almost 3.5 million passengers, making it the busiest month ever in Dublin Airport’s 84-year history. pic.twitter.com/ooH03qFofV
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) September 4, 2024
