Aer Lingus (EI, Dublin International) believes there is a “serious risk” that the United States government could retaliate and restrict its number of transatlantic flights if a passenger cap at Dublin International is not lifted.

Speaking at a parliamentary committee scrutinising a proposed law to lift the limit of 32 million passengers a year, Aer Lingus chief executive Lynne Embleton said that any delay in approving the law “materially increases” the risk of forced cuts.

She added that forcing Dublin airport to slash passenger numbers would be economically “catastrophic”, with the loss of every million passengers costing EUR1.4 billion euros (USD1.6 billion) in lost spending, EUR320 million (USD370 million) in taxes, and up to 37,000 jobs.

Chris Sununu, chief executive of the trade body Airlines for America, told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport that “there’s a very strong possibility that you will lose flights to New York, that you will lose flights to the US, absolutely.”

The Irish government has pledged to enact a new law by the early summer to lift the 32 million passenger cap. Embleton urged the Irish government to pass the law quickly. If it is not enacted, then a European court ruling due in months could force the Irish Aviation Authority to impose the limit for summer 2027.

Air Alderney (London Biggin Hill) has asked the local government to grant it a ground handling licence, which would enable it to deploy up to ten BN-2 Islanders for its proposed Alderney base.

Chief executive Danny Brem-Wilson said the start-up was prepared to dedicate one of the ten BN-2s for year-round medevac services. The remaining nine would be used for scheduled services to Jersey, Guernsey, and Cherbourg. The company wants to build its own terminal and maintenance facility at Alderney.

To make its services viable, Air Alderney asked the government to grant it a ground handling licence, and implement "a commercially workable approach to landing fees for a local operator". Brem-Wilson said that Air Alderney's earlier attempt to start services from Alderney was hampered by the financial burden stemming from the lack of such solutions.

"The cost structure made sustainable flying impossible. At the time, every flight required the use of Aurigny Air Services as the compulsory ground handling agent, alongside standard airport charges set by the States of Guernsey. The combined effect of these costs meant that revenue generated by flights was effectively absorbed by fees before a viable operating margin could be achieved," Brem-Wilson said.

The start-up began charter services out of Alderney in 2022, but suspended all flight operations later the same year. At that time, it operated a single BN-2, which it has since sold to Hebridean Air Services.

According to ch-aviation research, while Air Alderney does not currently own any aircraft, Brem-Wilson personally owns two BN-2s: G-BTLY (msn 2253) and G-ILFA (msn 2243). Both were previously operated by FLN - Die Inselflieger. A photo posted by Air Alderney on Facebook in March 2025 also shows D-ILFH (msn 2212), another ex-FLN aircraft, but ch-aviation was unable to verify it was also sold to Brem-Wilson.

Air Alderney retains a valid UK air operator's certificate (AOC) issued under its legal name, Wessex Aviation.

Brem-Wilson's statement came shortly after Aurigny Air Services came under pressure from the Alderney population for alleged poor operational reliability. The airline used to deploy two in-house Do228-212(NG)s for Alderney services, but retired them earlier this year in favour of DHC-6-300s damp-leased from Skybus (United Kingdom). The flights are currently operated with a single Twin Otter seconded from Skybus' fleet. The airline had to cancel a series of flights in late March due to pilot sickness, which led to a local protest. Aurigny maintains that the overall reliability has improved since the replacement of the Do228s, but added that it was planning "immediate measures, together with Skybus, to strengthen operational robustness".

A second Twin Otter will be placed at Alderney in early April 2026. Skybus plans to induct the first Aurigny-dedicated aircraft in May 2026, followed by the second one in October 2026. The training of local staff should be completed by June 2026.