Parking at Dublin Airport looks set to get worse this summer.
Passengers are being warned that spaces are booking out faster than in previous years.
Dublin Airport has about 23,000 car parking spaces, but it is not enough to keep up with demand.
Graeme McQueen, spokesman for airport operator DAA, said slots for some days in June, July and August were already close to selling out.
“We’re seeing big demand for the peak weeks in summer, and what will happen is that even if one or two days are sold out on those weeks that you want to book for, you won’t be able to book for the two-week period.”
It comes after DAA was blocked from buying the nearby Quick Park facility by the competition authority, while the airport is prohibited from developing its own expansion under the Fingal Development Plan.
Eoghan Corry, editor of Travel Extra, told Newstalk that the 6,000 spaces in Quick Park should be allowed to open as a temporary fix.
“[Quick Park] is in terrific condition. You can see that as you take off from the cross runway, which a lot of flights have been doing in recent weeks, and it could be up and running within a week.”
The lack of parking spaces could prompt further tensions this summer. Last year, Ryanair accused DAA of deliberate mismanagement “so that they can pressure the CCPC [Competition and Consumer Protection Commission] to award them monopoly control over the Quick Park car park”.
Anyone heading away this bank holiday weekend is being told that while parking options are still currently available, certain days are expected to sell out.
