Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2026
286. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Transport the works that would need to be carried out at Dublin Airport to be able to handle a number of Airbus A380 type of aircraft at the same time. [5554/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, daa has statutory responsibility to operate, manage and develop Dublin Airport. I have sought information from daa on the question you have raised on capacity at Dublin Airport for multiple Airbus A380 aircraft.
daa have advised that the airport can accommodate occasional A380 movements, as the North Runway is compliant to international standards (code F) in this regard. It is important to note that such requests are rarely received, and there is currently no material demand from airlines for expanded A380 capability at Dublin Airport.
To date, Dublin Airport has handled A380 movements on an infrequent basis.
Accommodating multiple A380s simultaneously would require significant additional infrastructure. The aircraft’s 80-metre wingspan necessitates wider taxiway clearance to ensure safe, unrestricted movements for other aircraft. Dublin Airport would also require new Code F contact stands, as existing stands are designed for Code E aircraft, these codes are ICAO standards. At present, an A380 must be accommodated using two remote stand positions.
In addition, the airport does not currently have dual-deck airbridges to facilitate efficient boarding and disembarkation. Remote stand operations for an aircraft of this size would involve substantial bussing logistics, potentially serving up to 600 passengers per flight.
For these reasons, regular or large-scale A380 operations would only be feasible with major airfield and terminal upgrades.
