by Josh Lew
Last updated: 5:00 PM ET, Fri July 8, 2016
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
Dublin Airport could be positioning itself to become a major transatlantic hub in the coming years if Brexit hurts U.K. airports. Local authorities are hiring experts to conduct a review of a planned €320 million runway expansion. The Fingal County Council wants to know how this expansion will affect the airport's current efficiency and operations plan.
The expansion plan was not introduced recently. In fact, it was first tabled in 2007. However, Ireland's economic downturn caused it to be delayed. Now, long-haul low-cost carriers are interested in using the airport, and others in the island nation, as cheaper alternatives to U.K. and continental hubs.
Now that Great Britain is leaving the European Union, there are questions about whether or not airlines will be able to enjoy the same kind of access at Heathrow and other U.K. hubs in the future. Dublin's improvements could help it take a bigger role in the transatlantic marketplace for both low cost carriers and full service airlines.
Vincent Harrison, the managing director of the airport, told the media that the relatively small investment could help the airport in both the present and in the future. "This €2M investment streamlines and simplifies the baggage check-in process for passengers. It will reduce check-in queue times and also increase the overall capacity at check-in in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2."
In a nod to low-cost carriers, the new kiosks can be upgraded so that, in the future, passengers can use the interface to pay fees for checked baggage or other services.
There is one drawback to these upgrades for Dublin residents. The runway work, which could start as early as September, would force planes to change their routes after takeoff. This means it will be a lot noisier for some local residents over the next several years.
The current and planned upgrades will make it possible for Dublin airport to handle its current growth rate. The changes could also make the airport an attractive alternative to England's airports when it comes to transatlantic flights.
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