Ireland’s national planning appeals board, An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP), has indicated it may scrap the controversial 98-movements-per-night limit imposed on Dublin Airport in 2025. The restriction—designed to curb aircraft noise on the capital’s expanding north runway—has faced intense push-back from airlines and the business community, who argue it threatens connectivity and investment.
In a ruling referred to the European Commission this week, ACP accepted many of the airport’s arguments on operational flexibility but must now revisit the cap after Brussels found procedural flaws. Until a fresh decision is taken, the newly built north runway remains restricted to 06:00-23:00, forcing carriers to use the older south runway for overnight operations.
Amid these regulatory twists, international passengers and corporate mobility teams should make sure travel paperwork remains seamless. VisaHQ, an online visa and passport service, can quickly verify and secure entry documents for over 200 destinations, supplying real-time status updates and concierge support—visit https://www.visahq.com/ireland/ to see how the platform can streamline trips originating from or transiting through Ireland.
![Dublin Airport’s night-flight cap back on the chopping block after planners signal U-turn]()
Ryanair has seized on the development to lobby TDs for swift passage of the Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026, which would abolish the separate 32-million-passenger planning ceiling. Aer Lingus likewise warned that uncertainty over both caps is already complicating slot planning for summer 2027 and jeopardising long-haul expansion projects.
For corporate travel managers, the immediate impact is a tight supply of peak-season late-evening and early-morning flights. Mobility teams moving staff to Asian or U.S. West-Coast hubs from Ireland may face higher fares or forced routings via Heathrow or continental gateways.
Legal advisers expect a new public consultation on the night-flight issue within weeks; businesses dependent on air-cargo exports are being urged to make submissions highlighting supply-chain risk. If the cap is ultimately lifted, Dublin Airport will still need noise-quota compliance measures—potentially steeper landing-fee surcharges on older aircraft—giving companies an incentive to favour carriers with quieter fleets.
In a ruling referred to the European Commission this week, ACP accepted many of the airport’s arguments on operational flexibility but must now revisit the cap after Brussels found procedural flaws. Until a fresh decision is taken, the newly built north runway remains restricted to 06:00-23:00, forcing carriers to use the older south runway for overnight operations.
Amid these regulatory twists, international passengers and corporate mobility teams should make sure travel paperwork remains seamless. VisaHQ, an online visa and passport service, can quickly verify and secure entry documents for over 200 destinations, supplying real-time status updates and concierge support—visit https://www.visahq.com/ireland/ to see how the platform can streamline trips originating from or transiting through Ireland.
Ryanair has seized on the development to lobby TDs for swift passage of the Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026, which would abolish the separate 32-million-passenger planning ceiling. Aer Lingus likewise warned that uncertainty over both caps is already complicating slot planning for summer 2027 and jeopardising long-haul expansion projects.
For corporate travel managers, the immediate impact is a tight supply of peak-season late-evening and early-morning flights. Mobility teams moving staff to Asian or U.S. West-Coast hubs from Ireland may face higher fares or forced routings via Heathrow or continental gateways.
Legal advisers expect a new public consultation on the night-flight issue within weeks; businesses dependent on air-cargo exports are being urged to make submissions highlighting supply-chain risk. If the cap is ultimately lifted, Dublin Airport will still need noise-quota compliance measures—potentially steeper landing-fee surcharges on older aircraft—giving companies an incentive to favour carriers with quieter fleets.
