THE number of passengers from northern Ireland using Dublin Airport increased by 11 per cent to more than 570,000 last year. Figures from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) showed that business from the north grew around twice as fast as average passenger numbers at the airport, which increased by almost 6 per cent to 20.2 million in 2013.
Dublin Airport spokesman Paul o'Kane said: "Dublin Airport has a much more extensive international route network than the three airports in northern Ireland combined, and plays a major role in bringing visitors from Europe, north America, and further afield to northern Ireland."
Heathrow and Gatwick airports are both in the top three destinations for northern Ireland consumers and all London airports combined make up 17 per cent of overall trips by residents from the north using Dublin Airport in 2013.