I cant find any official passenger numbers but from the CSO website I worked out that in 2010: 315k passengers, 2011: 270k passengers, and 2012: 250k passengers, none of these figures include the domestic flight to Dublin which I cant get figures for...
Any flights Ive taken on the KIR - DUB route always had a load factor between 70% and 95%, and ive heard from others that the flights they took the loads were strong as well, there always seems to be connecting passengers on any flights ive taken. flew BOS-DUB-KIR last summer and the DUB-KIR sector was full of connections from USA, there was loads of baggage..
Looking at the passenger numbers above there has been a big decline considering that in 08 or 09 there were over 400k passengers... but im still very hopeful that this year passenger numbers will go up...
I'd be surprised to see Aer Lingus Regional operate the route as they fly to Birmingham from both Shannon and Cork... I think it would have to be another carrier i.e. flybe to operate any UK routes... Ive always wondered why there aren't more routes to the UK from KIR.. i would have thought that the airport could support at least MAN, BHX and either EDI/GLA 3 or 4 times a week on an ATR or a Dash 8, especially in the summer..