The Irish High Court has allowed Ryanair, Aer Lingus, and Airlines for America (A4A) to seek a judicial review of the Irish Aviation Authority's (IAA) decision to cap aircraft slots at Dublin International for summer 2025. The airlines are also requesting an urgent stay on the cap while the review is pending, with the court expected to set a date for this hearing on October 22, reports Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), Ireland's national broadcaster.
The IAA's decision, announced on October 7, limits passenger seats to 25.2 million from March 30 to October 25, 2025, about one million fewer than during the 2024 summer. The limit aims to keep the airport within a 32 million annual passenger restriction set in 2007 as part of the planning permission for the second terminal.
During a court hearing on October 21, Ryanair's counsel highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that the airline could lose 3,000 slots and 550,000 passenger seats if the decision goes ahead. Aer Lingus is similarly concerned about a potential loss of 362,000 seats, the airline's lawyer noted.
Both Ryanair and Airlines for America intend to argue that the IAA's decision breaches the European Union-US Open Skies Agreement and anticipate that certain aspects of the case will need to be referred to European courts. The slot allocations are scheduled for November 7, prompting a request for the court to make a timely decision on the stay.
The IAA has stated it lacks the authority to alter or revoke planning conditions, which are the responsibility of local planning authorities.
