Approximately 800,000 travellers are expected to pass through Dublin Airport throughout the course of the St Patrick’s Day holiday. In a statement, the airport noted that the next 12-day period “is likely to be the busiest it has experienced since before the establishment of Covid.”
At its busiest, the airport will see up to 77,000 people per day during peak hours.
Irish people are preparing for a one-off double bank holiday this Thursday and Friday, March 17-18, and for the first time in three years, they will be able to participate in large-scale parades and other festivities.
“Connections” is the subject for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival, which takes place on March 17. After the epidemic, travellers are urged to reunite in Ireland, thanks to a sponsorship by Dublin Airport.
In addition to being a public holiday and a time for a national celebration, St Patrick’s Day is historically seen as the beginning of Ireland’s tourist season and as a significant marketing opportunity across the globe.
But Russia’s conflict in Ukraine has prompted new fears about the recovery of tourism and aviation, leading to higher fuel prices, changes in flight routes, and a loss of trust among tourists and airline passengers.
Tourism Ireland has said that it may result in negative publicity “”a postponement of decision-making.”
The famous Global Greening event, which saw a record 725 locations across the globe illuminated in green last year, will likewise be a little more subdued this year.
“Because of the current situation in Ukraine, Tourism Ireland has decided not to promote the Global Greening program on St Patrick’s Day in 2022,” the organization said.
Nonetheless, Ireland’s aviation connection has been re-establishing itself, with Ryanair releasing its largest-ever schedules for Dublin and Cork, and Shannon Airport welcoming back transatlantic flights for the first time in more than two years, among other developments.
“The restoration of these daily essential US services will be a welcome boost for the West of Ireland economy, and will see loved ones and business communities reconnected,” said Mary Considine, CEO of Shannon Group. “The restoration of these daily essential US services will be a welcome boost for the West of Ireland economy,” she added.
According to Dublin Airport, more over 2.3 million people passed through the airport in the first two months of 2022, a 44 percent decline from pre-Covid levels in 2020, but a 626 percent rise from the same time the previous year.
As part of its expansion plans, Ryanair has announced a new route between Marseille and Shannon, which will begin on May 4. Other initiatives include the launch of Dublin Airport’s first-ever scheduled flight to Cairo, Egypt, on June 2.
Check in at your terminal, plan ahead for security screening, and arrive at least two hours before short-haul flights and three hours before long-haul flights if you are traveling during the St Patrick’s Day holiday season.
Passengers are advised to wear a mask throughout the airport, and they may check whether their destination is subject to Covid-19 limitations at reopen.europa.eu. Passengers are also urged to bring their own masks.