Dublin Airport added a new transfer area to help improve passenger traffic flow for transfers between Europe and North America.

The new facility cost €16 million and is located next to Pier 4, close to Terminal 2. The new build out means the airport can handle four times as many connecting passengers.

Dublin has seen growth in its transfer passengers, with that number increasing from 550,000 in 2013 to nearly 1.6 million last year. This year growth is 17 percent. The top five trans-Atlantic flights connecting in Dublin are Chicago (ORD)–Heathrow (LHR), Boston (BOS)–Heathrow, Boston–Paris (CDG), Amsterdam (AMS)–New York (JFK), and Boston–Manchester (MAN).

“We have been growing Dublin Airport as a connecting gateway between Europe and North America steadily over the past five years and this new transfer facility will help us to further expand that business.

“Growing this part of our business is hugely important in helping us to expand our route network at Dublin Airport, as these additional transfer passengers underpin the viability of a route and also encourage airlines to launch new services and add capacity on existing routes,” said Vincent Harrison, managing director, Dublin Airport.

“Dublin Airport has many advantages as a gateway between Europe and North America for transferring passengers. Our location is perfect. We have strong transatlantic, short-haul and Middle Eastern connectivity and US preclearance provides passengers travelling to the United States with a wonderful product that allows them to arrive as domestic passengers in the States.”