It’s been a year like no other for Cork Airport.

The pandemic brought an 80% decrease in passenger numbers of over two million people, with just 530,000 people using the country’s second-largest airport last year.

Traffic declined across all the geographical markets, from Southern Europe (down 87% year-on-year) to London (76%), going from over fifty routes across eight scheduled airlines to two routes with two airlines.

In the face of such catastrophic losses, it would be easy to be downcast, but today, Cork Aiport’s Managing Director Niall Mac Carthy confirmed that efforts have begun to ensure a swift recovery once the pandemic is under control.

“We are already working on our recovery plans with the support of our parent group daa so that we can rebuild our UK and Continental European networks as soon as possible and reconnect Cork with the world, when it is safe to do so and when the demand is in place,” said Mr Mac Carthy.

‘Bigger and better’

“In addition, this year, we will progress the largest construction project undertaken at Cork Airport since the new Terminal was built in 2006 with a reconstruction of our main runway and airfield electrical infrastructure which will extend its life and support our business over the next twenty years,” he said.

“The team here at Cork Airport welcome the announcement of operational and capital assistance for Cork Airport by the Irish Government to assist our recovery in 2021 and beyond as the vaccine rolls out and travel recovers. Ultimately, our vision is that the new network out of Cork in the years ahead is not just the same as the old but, over time, that it is even bigger and better whilst re-growing jobs and connectivity for the whole South of Ireland economy,” added Mr Mac Carthy.