🌍 Edinburgh Outperforms While Dublin Plunges 20% in March
Two airports within the British Isles economic sphere diverged sharply in Q1 2026. Avi-Go data shows EGPH closed the quarter at 547 movements, up 5.6% YoY, with March alone posting +13.5% — outpacing Europe's overall business aviation growth of +4.9%. Dublin EIDW fell from 1,410 movements in Q1 2025 to 1,264 (-10.4%), with deteriorating monthly trends: January +2.5%, February -10.3%, March -20.2%. At 2.3x Edinburgh's volume, Dublin's decline carries a more material revenue impact for regional operators.
Implications: Dublin's -20.2% in March exceeds seasonal variation. Whether business travel demand from Ireland's tech and finance sectors is in sustained contraction warrants close monitoring through Q2 2026. Edinburgh's continued outperformance may reflect activity in Scotland's energy sector or seasonal events, suggesting room for regional capacity rebalancing.
Recommendations: Operators should track Dublin's April figures closely — if the decline remains above 10%, consider reducing EIDW based capacity and reallocating toward EGPH. For Edinburgh, securing summer slot and parking resources early would position operators to capture structural growth opportunities within Europe's broader recovery.