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There was a fifteen percent overall drop in traffic at Dublin Airport in August. The news has again prompted Ryanair to call for an end to the government imposed ten euro travel tax this despite Ryanair recording a nineteen percent increase in traffic compared to the same month last year.

This added up to one million more passengers for Ryanair. They claim the drop in passenger numbers overall at the airport was due to the tax. They claim under current projections Dublin Airport could lose three million passengers by this time next year.

Speaking on behalf of Ryanair Stephen McNamara believe that the Irish Government must look to the examples set by the Dutch and Belgian Governments who dropped similar taxes.

He forecasted more job losses for the Irish tourism industry unless corrective measures were taken.

Dublin passenger numbers this August were well down on the previous year’s numbers. An alarming drop of fifteen percent was recorded at the airport this August which translates to a drop of just over two million passengers.

The second biggest drop recorded came from continental Europe where there was a sixteen percent decrease. Next up was the United Kingdom where a drop of fifteen percent was recorded. Over one million passengers travelled on European routes while six hundred and eighty thousand traveled on UK routes.

Domestic routes proved to be the biggest loser with passenger numbers down by twenty seven percent meaning just fifty four thousand people made use of domestic routes at Dublin Airport in August. Traffic from North America was down by four percent.

Looking at the yearly figures, numbers at the airport are down by twelve percent at this point in time. Over fourteen million customers have used the airport so far this year.

A flight from Dublin Airport to Heathrow was forced to turn around and head back to Dublin this morning. There were one hundred and twenty passengers on board the Aer Lingus flight.

The flight departed the airport at twenty minutes to seven but ran into technical issues which since have been put down to hydraulics problems. Pilots were alerted by a warning light and landed the plane safely back at Dublin Airport before eight AM.

All passengers were moved to other Aer Lingus flights according to a spokesman. The flight had been in the air for around twenty five minutes when the problem was discovered.

Really? Well you could have fooled me but according to a recent report by Met Eireann, this August was the warmest on record at Dublin Airport since 2004. Dublin and its surrounding regions fared considerably better weather wise than many other Irish locations this year with some locations such as Valentia in Kerry breaking rainfall records since documenting first begun.

The midlands did not fare much better with Mullingar having it wettest summer in sixty years. Strangely the majority of places in Ireland actually had more hours of sunshine than usual this summer despite the generally wet conditions. June saw some superb weather in Ireland this year which certainly helped boost sunshine figures.

Those hoping for better conditions in September will be disappointed according to weather forecasters. More wind and rain is expected which will be unwelcome news for those traveling to the all Ireland final in Dublin this weekend as well as those attending the Electric Picnic music festival.

There was much excitement at Dublin Airport last night due to the arrival of boxing legend Muhammad Ali. The legendary boxer actually has Irish roots with his great grandfather Abe Grady leaving Ireland back in the year 1860.

Ali is here on charity work and spoke of his excitement upon arrival. He began his charity work at a reception in Dublin last night. His battle against Parkinson’s disease has been well highlighted over the years.

His wife Lonnie has accompanied him on this trip. Today they will visit Ennis where a private concert is being held where Ali will be made a free man of Ennis. Locals will also get a chance to see Ali as he will also be paying a public visit to the town.

The mayor of Ennis Frankie Neylon has compared the local buzz surrounding the event as similar to an all Ireland final. It is hoped that the event may become a regular thing.