Cork Airport generated €1 billion for economy last year

New incentives on airport charges at Cork Airport were announced today for airlines who move routes and capacity from Dublin to Cork while the passenger cap remains in place in Dublin Airport.

This comes as a new economic impact report shows that Cork Airport contributed €1.045 billion to the Irish economy and supported more than 12,650 jobs last year.

Cork Airport, which is operated by daa, is the country’s second busiest airport after Dublin and this year three million passengers, flying to over 50 routes across the UK and continental Europe, will use the airport.

The new analysis by InterVISTAS Consulting shows that day-to-day operational activities at Cork Airport directly supported 2,330 jobs in companies across the airport campus including airlines, air traffic control, ground handlers, airport security, immigration, customs and airport retailers in 2023.

An additional 10,320 jobs stemmed from the indirect, induced, and catalytic impacts of the airport’s operations, InterVISTAS Consulting noted.

Today’s analysis also included examination of the connectivity of Cork Airport.

The 2023 IATA Connectivity Index, which measures the international access from an airport to the global economy, shows that Cork Airport is the best-connected airport in Ireland outside of Dublin.

It said the range and density of the airport’s network, including services to major hubs such as London Heathrow and Amsterdam, provides the region with high levels of connectivity and enables easier links to the wider world.

To promote enhanced connectivity and traffic growth at Cork Airport, today it announced that airlines will be encouraged to move seat capacity to Cork from Dublin by way of discounts on airport charges at Cork Airport.

Niall MacCarthy, Managing Director at Cork Airport, said the facilities at the airport will be expanded in the next number of years to provide more airside and terminal facilities to support strong growth and jobs.

“Cork Airport is the best performing commercial semi-state body in Ireland for energy reduction for two years running, and the next step on our journey is to seek planning for an airport solar farm, to demonstrate our commitment to sustainable development,” Mr MacCarthy said.

“We look forward to welcoming more tourists directly into Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way and Ancient East – both served through Cork in the years to come,” he added.

Kenny Jacobs, CEO of daa, said that daa is committed to supporting Cork Airport’s growth to five million passengers a year within the next decade.

“Cork Airport will continue to expand its route network, including offering new incentives to encourage airlines that are capped from growing at Dublin to take advantage of Cork Airport’s great facilities,” Kenny Jacobs said.

“Good connectivity throughout the island is critical to attracting tourists and investment to Ireland and there is a real danger of losing out to other countries while the Dublin cap remains in place. Airlines that move routes and traffic from Dublin to Cork Airport will be offered lower charges at Cork Airport to encourage airlines to keep those routes in Ireland and to support jobs and connectivity,” he added.

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, James Lawless, said that as an island nation, the airport network is critical to the country’s connectivity and as Ireland’s second largest international airport, Cork is an essential part of that infrastructure.

“On top of the employment and trade at the airport itself, a whole secondary tier of economic activity is enabled in the wider region. The significant funding to Cork Airport provided by government in recent years has assisted in future proofing the airport’s infrastructure and will enable the airport to realise its ambitious plans for growth over the coming years,” he added.

Alice Mansergh, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said that overseas tourism to Cork city and county alone brings in excess of €600m to the region a year.

“As always on our island, air and sea access are vital. We are proud to partner with Cork Airport, regional airport partners across the island, as well as air and sea carriers, to support demand for routes that bring inbound visitors to us,” she added.