Over 26,000 passengers are expected to travel through Cork Airport over the course of the extended St. Patrick’s Holiday, with over 5,000 passengers anticipated on Sunday, March 20 alone. This month saw the lifting of the last remaining travel restrictions on entering Ireland. With the addition of an extra bank holiday and the return of horse racing enthusiasts travelling to and from the Cheltenham Festival, Cork Airport will experience its busiest St. Patrick’s Holiday in three years. 

On Wednesday next, as passengers arrive in advance of the national holiday, Cork Airport will host a special performance of traditional Irish music by Newcestown Comhaltas in the Arrivals Hall. 

The bumper St. Patrick’s Holiday passenger forecast is a strong start to what promises to be a busy number of weeks at Ireland’s second-busiest airport. With the commencement of the 2022 Summer Schedule on March 27, there will be a total of 41 routes from Cork Airport on offer this summer. European hub connectivity will be bolstered with the return of Air France six-times weekly service to Paris Charles de Gaulle, also commencing on March 27.

Cork Airport is forecasting 2.1 million passengers this year. Commenting on the St. Patrick’s Bank Holiday passenger figures and looking ahead to Summer 2022, Cork Airport Managing Director, Niall MacCarthy said: 

St. Patrick’s Weekend and particularly, the Easter Bank Holiday weekend which follows, traditionally kicks of the busy aviation summer period. After two long years of COVID-19, people want to get travelling and Cork Airport staff are ready and waiting with our famous ‘Céad Míle Fáilte’ for passengers.