#2026/70The Licensing (City of Derry Airport) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
This Order, made by the Department for Communities on 31st March 2026 and operative from 2nd April 2026, formally designates City of Derry Airport as a specified airport under Article 53(1) of the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996. The designation enables extended or special licensing hours to apply within the airport's examination station approved under the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979. The Department confirmed two statutory preconditions before issuing the Order: first, that City of Derry Airport handles a substantial volume of international passenger traffic; and second, that adequate facilities have been arranged within the licensed examination station to provide hot and cold non-alcoholic beverages at all times when alcohol is available for consumption on the premises. The practical effect is that licensed premises inside the airport's international departure and arrivals area may serve alcohol outside standard Northern Ireland licensing hours, consistent with the special airport licensing regime that applies at other major designated airports. This facilitates passenger services across all flight departure and arrival times.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- City of Derry Airport is formally designated as a specified airport under Article 53(1) of the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996, effective 2 April 2026.
- Licensed premises within the airport's approved examination station (customs/international zone) are now authorised to serve alcohol outside standard Northern Ireland licensing hours.
- The Department for Communities confirmed City of Derry Airport has a 'substantial amount of international passenger traffic', satisfying the statutory threshold for designation.
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Obligations
What this law requires
City of Derry Airport must maintain adequate facilities within the licensed examination station to provide hot and cold non-alcoholic beverages at all times when alcohol is available for consumption on the premises
Licensed premises within City of Derry Airport's international departure and arrivals area must comply with extended or special licensing hours as designated under Article 53(1) of the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996
The Department for Communities must ensure that City of Derry Airport continues to handle a substantial volume of international passenger traffic as a precondition for maintaining its designated airport status
Licensed premises must not serve alcohol outside the extended/special licensing hours except during times when the non-alcoholic beverage facilities are operational