The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has formally kicked-off a fresh five-year review of price caps at Dublin Airport—and, for the first time, ordinary passengers will have a direct voice in the process. A newly-created Passenger Advisory Group, announced on 21 January, brings together consumer watchdogs, tourism bodies, disability advocates and the employers’ federation Ibec. The panel will meet the IAA’s economic-regulation team throughout 2026 as the authority decides how much the airport operator, daa, can charge airlines (and ultimately travellers) between 2027 and 2031.
Why does this matter to global mobility managers? Airport charges feed straight into airfares paid by corporations, assignees and their families. They also determine whether airlines add or drop routes that underpin Ireland’s connectivity for headquarters staff, project teams and high-value cargo. The IAA’s draft framework will tie any future increases to quality-of-service metrics such as maximum security-queue times (currently 30 minutes), terminal cleanliness and way-finding. If daa misses those targets it will face automatic financial penalties—a system that already cost the company more than €10 million for 2023 lapses.
Business lobbies have warned the regulator not to rubber-stamp higher fees. Speaking on 21 January, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary urged a freeze, arguing that Dublin’s unit costs have "crept up under the radar" and risk undermining route expansion. Daa counters that its charges remain among the lowest at peer EU hubs and are needed to fund a €2 billion capital plan to raise the legally-binding passenger cap from 32 million to 40 million. Fingal County Council is still assessing that planning application, including controversial night-flight limits around the new north runway.
![Dublin Airport Charges Review Begins with New Passenger Advisory Group]()
While companies weigh the impact of potential fee changes, they should also ensure that visa and entry formalities don’t become an unexpected cost driver. VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) gives mobility teams and travelling employees an easy way to check requirements, file visa applications online and track approvals in real time—helping to keep trips on schedule and budgets on target as the new airport pricing regime unfolds.
For mobility professionals the message is clear: 2026 is the consultation window to make operational pain points—security bottlenecks, immigration eGate reliability, transport links—part of the price-cap equation. Written submissions are open until late March; the IAA will publish a draft determination in September and a final ruling before year-end. Any step change in charges would take effect from 1 January 2027, giving travel buyers a year to recalibrate budgets.
Practical tip: encourage frequent business travellers and mobility staff to feed real-time feedback to representative bodies on the advisory group (Consumers’ Association of Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, National Disability Authority, Ibec). Evidence of missed service targets strengthens the case for a tougher regime that links future fee hikes to tangible quality gains.
Why does this matter to global mobility managers? Airport charges feed straight into airfares paid by corporations, assignees and their families. They also determine whether airlines add or drop routes that underpin Ireland’s connectivity for headquarters staff, project teams and high-value cargo. The IAA’s draft framework will tie any future increases to quality-of-service metrics such as maximum security-queue times (currently 30 minutes), terminal cleanliness and way-finding. If daa misses those targets it will face automatic financial penalties—a system that already cost the company more than €10 million for 2023 lapses.
Business lobbies have warned the regulator not to rubber-stamp higher fees. Speaking on 21 January, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary urged a freeze, arguing that Dublin’s unit costs have "crept up under the radar" and risk undermining route expansion. Daa counters that its charges remain among the lowest at peer EU hubs and are needed to fund a €2 billion capital plan to raise the legally-binding passenger cap from 32 million to 40 million. Fingal County Council is still assessing that planning application, including controversial night-flight limits around the new north runway.
While companies weigh the impact of potential fee changes, they should also ensure that visa and entry formalities don’t become an unexpected cost driver. VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) gives mobility teams and travelling employees an easy way to check requirements, file visa applications online and track approvals in real time—helping to keep trips on schedule and budgets on target as the new airport pricing regime unfolds.
For mobility professionals the message is clear: 2026 is the consultation window to make operational pain points—security bottlenecks, immigration eGate reliability, transport links—part of the price-cap equation. Written submissions are open until late March; the IAA will publish a draft determination in September and a final ruling before year-end. Any step change in charges would take effect from 1 January 2027, giving travel buyers a year to recalibrate budgets.
Practical tip: encourage frequent business travellers and mobility staff to feed real-time feedback to representative bodies on the advisory group (Consumers’ Association of Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, National Disability Authority, Ibec). Evidence of missed service targets strengthens the case for a tougher regime that links future fee hikes to tangible quality gains.
