Mayo airport predicts one million passenger throughput by 2027
By Tom Gillespie
WHILE record passenger numbers were recorded at Ireland West Airport last year, it is predicted that by 2027 that figure will reach the magical one million mark.
Airport managing director Joe Gilmore stated: “Last year we did 834,000 passengers and I think we will move closer to the 900,000 mark this year. And over the next two to three years, and assuming things go in the right direction, we could hit the one million mark.
“Last year proved to be the busiest year on record at Ireland West Airport. We were delighted with that. At the start of the year we were uncertain as to what the demand would be for travel.
“But, thankfully, the demand for travel remained very strong for the airport here, and its convenience, and I think people are becoming more aware of the benefits of our location with the congestion at other airports.
“For the first time in the airport’s history, passenger numbers increased by two per cent to 834,000, surpassing the previous record of 817,000 passengers achieved in 2023.”
He continued: “The airport now serves 22 international destinations and is served by three of Europe’s major international airlines - Aer Lingus, Lauda Europe and Ryanair.
“Ryanair recorded its busiest ever year, with record numbers using its services to the likes of Liverpool and London Luton. The UK makes up about 80 per cent of the airport’s business.
“Aer Lingus also recorded its busiest ever year for passenger traffic at the airport, with its London Heathrow service going from strength to strength in 2024.
“Last year the number of passengers travelling on services to and from the UK totalled 667,732, an increase of one per cent compared to 2023.
“The number of passengers travelling on services to mainland and Continental Europe hit a new high for the airport, with 165,500 passengers travelling to and from Alicante, Barcelona, Faro, Majorca, Malaga, Milan, Cologne, Lanzarote and Tenerife, representing a nine per cent increase on 2023 figures.”
Mr. Gilmore continued: “August was the busiest month of the year, with 90,355 passengers travelling through the airport during this period.
“The busiest individual day of the year also occurred in August when over 3,600 passengers travelled through the airport on Sunday, August 18.
“In total, almost 6,000 flights arrived and departed at the airport in 2024.”
Last year, the airport achieved Level 3 Accreditation, ‘Optimisation’, in recognition of the airport’s actions to address its CO2 emissions, as part of the global industry’s response to the challenge of climate change.
Mr. Gilmore added: “Achieving Level 3 Accreditation is in recognition of the airport's exemplary work in reducing its carbon emissions and engaging other stakeholders to do the same as part of the global airport industry's response to the challenge of climate change. Hopefully by 2030 we will be carbon neutral as an airport facility.
“Early last year a new project manager was appointed for the SDZ development of the land bank at the airport and under the auspices of a partnership between Mayo County Council and ourselves and a number of other regional bodies we are looking to develop the SDZ, and upgrade a new development plan for it.
“There is currently planning permissions down there at the moment for a number of projects. We hope, this year, will see the sod turning on the first project.
“In terms of promotion of the airport itself, in 2024 we ran a number of big promotions with Tourism Ireland overseas in Germany and Italy to promote the inbound Cologne and Milan flights.
“That was done with seven local authorities who were accompanied by 50 people from the trade.”