Dublin Airport Chief Hopeful Vaccine Will Boost Travel Next Year

Dublin Airport Chief Executive Dalton Philips has said that he is hopeful that widespread release of the Covid-19 vaccine will boost travel levels next year.

He said he would like to see 16 million passengers travelling through Dublin Airport in 2021, however warned that it could be 2024 before airport traffic returns to pre-pandemic levels.

Speaking to Inside Business, a podcast from The Irish Times, Dalton Philips said: “I see Q1 being very quiet at similar levels to where we’re at now, down 80-90 per cent through to Easter. Then, you’re going to start to see a pick-up.

“There is a real level of optimism now… with six vaccines on the way. There is huge pent-up demand from people to see loved ones…and for vacations. There’s a real desire to get out of the country next year and while we’re not going to get anywhere near 2019 levels, arguably next year could be 50 per cent of 2019. That’s a lot more than where we are now.”