Trade group Airlines for America (A4A) has asked the U.S. Transportation Department to push back against the government of Ireland and the EU to prevent an annual cap on Dublin Airport passengers.
In a formal complaint dated Jan. 5, A4A said a cap of 32 million passengers would result in an 11% reduction in traffic at Dublin Airport, including for U.S. carriers. Dublin Airport is estimated to have enplaned 36 million flyers in 2025.
The Dublin cap is already set at 32 million, according to the Irish Times, though enforcement is under stay pending a ruling by the Irish High Court on a lawsuit brought by A4A and Irish carriers Ryanair and Aer Lingus. In its complaint, A4A said the Irish High Court is awaiting an advisory opinion it requested from the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU). The CJEU is expected to issue a tentative opinion on Feb. 12 and make a full decision several months later.
The Dublin flight cap, said A4A, is predicated on vehicular traffic constraints in and out of the airport rather than by aircraft takeoff or landing capacity. The rule was put in place by the local planning body in Dublin.
A4A contends that the rule violates the U.S.-EU open skies aviation treaty, as well EU rules on airport takeoff and landing slot allowances.
According to the Irish Times, Ireland Prime Minister Michael Martin said this week that the national government has decided to remove the cap and is drafting legislation that would reclassify the airport as national infrastructure for planning purposes.
"The government has made a very clear decision," Martin said. "The cap will be removed."
With Feb. 12 approaching, A4A doesn't want the DOT to wait around. The trade group is asking the department to issue an order stating that if the Irish government doesn't eliminate the passenger cap by Feb. 1, service by Irish airlines to the U.S. will be curtailed, suspended or subject to other countervailing measures.
A4A also urged the DOT to call for a special meeting to address the matter with the Irish government and European Commission no later than Jan. 12.
Open-skies dispute in Mexico
The DOT has taken recent action to remedy what it regards as violations of the open skies air transport treaty between the U.S. and Mexico. In September, the department ordered the dissolution of the Delta-Aeromexico joint venture alliance by Jan. 1, citing capacity cuts imposed by the Mexican government at Mexico City's man airport.
That ruling is currently under a court-ordered stay while an appeal filed by the two airlines is litigated.
Then in October, the DOT blocked any future routes by Mexican airlines to the U.S. from either of the two Mexico City airports.
In a September statement, the DOT also warned that President Trump and transportation secretary Sean Duffy are "taking note of multiple other countries that are disregarding the terms of our air transport agreements."