Rising Christmas Flight Costs from Dublin to London Due to Demand

This Christmas, passengers flying from Dublin to London may face soaring costs, with one-way fares potentially reaching €500. Ryanair's CEO, Michael O'Leary, attributes this surge to a traffic cap of 32 million passengers at Dublin Airport, established in 2007, which limits flight availability. Despite the airport's increased capacity to 60 million passengers following the introduction of a second runway in 2015, Ryanair and other airlines were denied requests for 270,000 additional flight slots by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). As a result, the airline has added 50,000 seats to and from Belfast to alleviate some pressure on air travel for those heading to Ireland. O'Leary has urged travelers to book flights early, as lower fares are quickly disappearing. He has also criticized the Irish transport minister for not addressing the outdated traffic cap, which he believes is contributing to the inflated prices. The situation has led to a significant increase in airfares, with predictions that prices will continue to rise as Christmas approaches, making it essential for travelers to secure their tickets promptly to avoid record-high costs.