MORE than decade after it vanished from departure boards, flights between Dublin and the City of Derry Airport (CoDA) could be restarted by the end of 2026.
The route, which was dropped in 2011, has long been considered a missing cog in the transportation infrastructure of the area.
At its peak, the airport welcomed nearly 130,000 passengers in the July–September period of 2011.
In comparison, passenger numbers during the same time in 2023 stood at just 48,000, highlighting the steep drop in usage following route cancellations and the broader impact of the pandemic.
Irish Minister of State and Donegal TD Charlie McConalogue confirmed that talks are taking place to revive the route, which would be supported through a public service obligation (PSO) scheme.
PSO routes involve government subsidies to maintain air services that are not financially viable on a commercial basis but are deemed essential for regional connectivity.
McConalogue emphasised the Irish government’s commitment to the project, highlighting that the restoration of the route was a stated goal in the current programme for government.
He also noted the involvement of the Irish transport minister, Darragh O’Brien, who is expected to meet with airport management in the coming weeks to move things along.
The loss of the Dublin route has been widely acknowledged as a setback for Derry, Donegal and the broader northwest region.
McConalogue described it as a “real disadvantage”, stressing the importance of restoring international connectivity and the potential for the route to support local economic growth.
The initiative is being developed with input from the Irish government’s Shared Island Unit, which was created in 2020 to support cross-border infrastructure and investment.
This unit has played a role in many large-scale projects in Northern Ireland, including upgrades to the A5 road and the redevelopment of Casement Park.
City of Derry Airport welcomed the news, describing the efforts as a “positive development” and underscoring the importance of economic links between Dublin and the northwest.
Airport representatives noted that reinstating the route could help sustain local employment and improve overall accessibility for the region.
This announcement follows a separate commitment to continue subsidising direct flights between Derry and Heathrow until March 2027.
That service, operated by Loganair, is supported by a joint funding package from Northern Ireland’s Department for the Economy and the UK Department for Transport, totalling £4.6 million.
If successful, the reintroduction of the Dublin–Derry route could offer renewed opportunities for tourism, business and community development.
A significant factor for travellers is time; while taking a car, bus or train can take anywhere between three and a half to five hours, a flight would only take between 20 and 40 minutes.
However, with these benefits, there are also environmental concerns.
Short-haul flights are among the most carbon-intensive forms of transport, and their environmental impact is especially questionable when viable alternatives, such as rail, exist.
Considering the global climate crisis, expanding air travel this way could draw criticism from environmental groups.
These worries are already shaping transport policy in other parts of Europe.
France has taken the bold step of banning domestic short-haul flights where train journeys of two and a half hours or less are available.
This policy, implemented in 2023, aims to cut carbon emissions by encouraging travellers to choose trains instead of flights.
In this landscape, proposals like the Dublin–Derry route raise questions about whether government-subsidised flights are a sustainable solution, especially if greener options, like cross-border rail upgrades, could serve similar purposes with far less cost to the environment.