Ryanair cuts summer flights from Dublin as travel chaos looms for passengers

Ryanair has announced changes to its check-in system(Image: Getty)

Ryanair has revealed that it has cut close to one in 10 planned summer 2026 flights from Dublin Airport.

However, while travel experts are predicting travel chaos in the coming months due to fuel shortages, the airline has blamed the government not scrapping the Dublin Airport passenger cap for their reduction in flights.

The airline said it had not cut flights or schedules in response to the crisis in the Middle East, which has sparked fears of fuel shortages this summer, but due to the government's failure to axe the 32 million a year limit on passengers at Dublin airport.

According to the Irish Times, figures from air travel industry data firm OAG indicated Ryanair reduced planned summer flights from Irish airports by around 4,500, to 84,600, between January and this month.

Ryanair stated that they had originally planned to grow traffic at Dublin Airport by 10 per cent this summer, but dropped those plans "due to the continuing failure of the Government to scrap the Dublin traffic cap".

Speaking about the reduction, they said: "We cannot invest in growth at Dublin until this cap is abolished and the DAA extends its growth incentive schemes."

They added that they had not cut flights or schedules in response to the crisis in the Middle East, saying: "But we continue to monitor the situation closely and hope that the Hormuz Straits will reopen soon."

It comes as the airline announced a major change to their baggage drop and check in rules, which means that from Tuesday, November 10 2026, check-in and bag drop services at all its airports will close 60 minutes prior to scheduled departure. Currently, both close 40 minutes beforehand.

Ryanair has said this change will give passengers more time to get through airport security and passport queues, reducing the 'very small number' of passengers who currently miss their flights because they get stuck in these queues.

More self-service bag-drop kiosks will also be installed across the network, with over 95% of airports having these kiosks by October. They are fully integrated with the Ryanair app, allowing passengers to check in bags and print bag tags, which speeds up bag drop and reduces waiting times.

This latest improvement will give these 20% of Ryanair guests who wish to check in a bag slightly more time to get through airport security and passport queues and arrive at their departure gate before boarding starts.

The remaining 80% of passengers who don't check in bags are unaffected and will continue to check in online before they arrive at the airport and go straight to their departure gate when they arrive.

Ryanair CMO, Dara Brady, said: "From Tues 10 Nov next, Ryanair customers will see airport check-in and bag drops close 60 minutes before scheduled departure, instead of today's 40 minutes. This will allow these 20% of our customers (who check in a bag) more time to clear through airport security and passport queues, and get to their departure gate on-time, especially during busy travel periods when some of these airport queues can be longer.

"We are also installing self-service kiosks at over 95% of Ryanair airports before October. This means a quicker bag-drop service, less queuing at airport desks, and an even more punctual service for the 20% of our customers who still wish to check-in a bag, while the 80% (who don't check-in a bag) will be unaffected by this small 20 minute change, as they will continue to check-in online before they arrive at the departure airport and they go straight through airport security to their departure gate."

The budget airline also recently made a change to slightly increase the size of the one free bag. Passengers can now bring a personal item measuring up to 40 x 30 x 20cm, which is a 20% increase from the previous 40 x 20 x 25cm limit.