Which airline was the first to use Dublin’s new runway?

Dublin Airport has received a major boost after officially opening its north runway.

 

The first aircraft to use the new infrastructure, designed 10L/28R, was Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 EI-HAW (c/n 65078), which departed at the stroke of noon on August 24 as flight FR1964 bound for Eindhoven in the Netherlands.

The €320m project – some 3,110m (10,200ft) long – lies on airport land a mile north of, and parallel to, the existing Runway 10R/28L and was delivered on schedule, on budget at no cost to the state. It is fully compliant with EASA Category IIIB standards and is capable of accommodating aircraft up to and including Code F types with wingspans of 65-80m, such as the Boeing 747-8 and the Airbus A380.

Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 EI-HAW (c/n 65078) had the honours of being the first scheduled flight to use the new runway
Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 EI-HAW (c/n 65078) had the honours of being the first scheduled flight to use the new runway DAA

Basil Geoghegan, chairman of airport operator DAA commented: “The North Runway further strengthens international connectivity for Ireland at Dublin Airport and will be a major driver for economic growth. It underpins our position as a leading European airport and a key gateway to North America.  The successful delivery of this project would not have been possible but for the planning and land use foresight of the early operators of Dublin Airport who envisaged this vital national infrastructure as far back as the 1960s.”

The new runway should bolster operational resilience at the Irish gateway
The new runway should bolster operational resilience at the Irish gateway DAA

Following the COVID pandemic, DAA has a renewed ambition for Dublin Airport and its users. We are steadfast in our ambition to grow the airport sustainably and to be a standard bearer for quality service. Following on from the North Runway development, we will progress at pace our planned capital investment programme in a refurbished terminal, new piers, gates, stands and transfer facilities that will ensure a compelling service and lasting legacy for future generations of air travellers in and out of Ireland,” added Geoghegan.

According to the airport, the north runway will support the creation of 31,200 new jobs and generate €2.2 billion in additional economic activity through the addition of extra runway slots during peak times and ability to facilitate larger aircraft types, both of which are expected to enhance connectivity in the Irish capital.

DAA said it worked closely with local communities during the project to help lessen the impact of the new runway, which has received limited approval to handle early morning and late evening arrivals and departures. This includes replacing the night-time aircraft movement cap with what Dublin Airport reports as “a more considered noise management quota system that encourages the use of quieter aircraft, an industry-standard approach for managing aircraft noise at large international airports around the world.”

The Irish hub has also committed to further noise mitigation and enhanced monitoring measures.