The Irish Aviation Authority has said that January saw strong traffic gains across almost all areas of the IAA’s air traffic management business for the month.
 
The Authority said today that total flights managed in January were up 11.4% (or 75,718 movements) on the same month a year ago.
 
“Despite the turmoil in world markets, the aviation industry is doing well. This is driven by low fuel prices and extra capacity in the key markets. Inbound flows to Ireland are strong and in January 2016 we are approaching the same level as summer only 5 or 6 years ago,” said Eamonn Brennan, Chief Executive, IAA.
 
Cork Airport’s traffic was up 8.9% for the month, with an average of 44 commercial daily movements.
 
The IAA reported an increase of 14.2% in Ireland’s overflight traffic movements (flights that pass through Irish airspace but do not land) during January 2016, in comparison to January 2015, while North Atlantic Communications flights (Europe / North America flights) saw an increase of 10.5%.
 
There were 23,438 overflight traffic movements and 32,860 North Atlantic Communications flights during January 2016.
 
In relation to international arrivals and departures, the combined commercial terminal traffic for Shannon, Dublin and Cork airports was up by 9.3% in January 2016, when compared to the same month a year ago.
 
Individually, the January 2016 figures for the three State airports, when compared to the same month in the previous year are:

• Dublin up 10.5% with an average of 469 commercial daily movements.
• Cork up 8.9%, with an average of 44 commercial daily movements.
• Shannon down 2.5% with an average of 39 commercial daily movements.

Key outbound growth markets were: Netherlands +48.5%, Denmark +43.5%, Spain +20.9%, Switzerland +25.4%, Turkey +11.9%, USA +18.1%, Iceland +19.2%, Portugal +10.7%, Hungary +15.4% and UK +8.2%.
 
The IAA added that while the winter schedules saw reductions on inbound routes from Canada (-11.4%) and the Middle East (-10%), all other major inbound markets were in growth mode.