The FINANCIAL — Dublin Airport will have its busiest Christmas season on record this year as just under one million people are expected to arrive and depart during the festive season.
From Friday, December 23 to Friday, January 6, 2017 an expected 978,000 people will travel through the Dublin Airport. The numbers travelling this year are up 8% compared to the same period last year.
This will be the busiest Christmas in the airport’s 76-year history, according to Dublin Airport spokesperson, Siobhán O’Donnell. “Friday, December 22 is expected to be the busiest day before Christmas, with almost 83,000 passengers due to arrive and depart through both terminals, while Friday, December 30 is expected to be the busiest day after Christmas, particularly with passengers heading to winter sun and skiing destinations,” O’Donnell said.
“Dublin Airport is a truly magical place at Christmas time with many wonderful, emotional family reunions at arrivals in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2,” O’Donnell added. “We’ve had a number of Christmas marriage proposals, and every year we have grandparents seeing their grandchildren in the flesh for the first time – whether that be Irish emigrants returning home or people from overseas visiting their family here. Increasingly, those waiting to meet their loved ones at Dublin Airport are entering into the spirit of Christmas by dressing up and making signs to welcome family and friends.”
Once again, the Dublin Airport campus and terminal buildings have been decorated to give a special atmosphere to the airport over this festive season. The terminals are decked with 100,000 led lights, which use significantly less electricity than traditional lighting, more than 100 Christmas trees, 500 snowflakes/stars and 20 festive displays, according to Dublin Airport.
Dublin Airport has also booked more than 30 musical groups from local schools and choirs to perform in both terminals in the days leading up to Christmas bringing a true Céad Míle Fáilte to the many people coming home for the Christmas Holidays and to those visiting Ireland from overseas for the holiday season.
To join in the festive spirit, Ryan Tubridy’s RTE Radio One programme and 2FM’s Eoghan McDermott will broadcast live from the airport on Friday, December 23 from 9am and 4pm respectively. TV3 has also been filming its Coming Home for Christmas documentary at the airport.
Dublin Airport will close on Christmas Day – the only day on which it closes every year – however a number of staff members will remain on duty including the airport’s emergency fire services. Flight operations will cease on Christmas Eve after the last flight departs at 22.50 to Chisinau with Air Moldova and will resume on St. Stephen’s Day when Aer Lingus’ EI 104 from New York lands at 5am.
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