Pre-tax profits at AirNav Ireland last year increased by 14% to €14.64m on the back of record levels of air traffic.
The 2025 annual report for the commercial semi-state agency, charged with keeping our skies safe, shows that profits increased as revenues rose by 7% from €196.79m to €210.65m.
AirNav Ireland managed 708,000 flights in Irish managed controlled airspace last year which was a 4.3% increase on 2024.
AirNav Ireland also handled more than 294,000 commercial terminal flights at Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports which was a 7.7% increase on 2024.
Gerald Caffrey was appointed as CEO on June 6, 2025 and his salary is €225,000 – the same salary as his predecessor, Dr Peter Kearney.
Wage and salary costs at AirNav Ireland last year increased by 12% from €78.44m to €87.96m that included allowances and other payments of €16.44m.
Overall staff costs, taking into account pension contribution and social welfare costs, increased from €103.84m to €106.9m.
Pay to key management personnel last year remained at €2.5m.
The number of “high-flyers” at AirNav Ireland earning over €100,000 last year increased by 16 to 434 representing 64% of the 677-strong workforce earned over €100,000 in 2025.
The figures show that 172 employees earned between €150,000 and €200,000 while the numbers earning over €200,000 increased from 28 to 50 that included three earning between €250,000 to €275,000.
Numbers employed by AirNav Ireland at six locations across Ireland during the year increased from 642 to 677.
The accounts disclose that on April 2of this year, AirNav Ireland paid out a dividend of €4.8m.
This followed the High Court in March granting an order in March confirming a shareholder-approved share capital reduction, permitting a €310m share premium reserves to be cancelled and treated as profits available for distribution.
The directors state that net cash generated from operations totalled €43.5m compared to €21.8m in 2024 “driven by higher profitability and improved working capital flows”.
Cash funds more than doubled from €33.6m to €68.9m in 2025.
The report states en route revenue accounted for 71% or €150m of total revenue. En route revenue relates to overflights that, in the main, do not land in Ireland.
The directors state that “traffic forecasts for 2026 and beyond are predicting further growth”.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
